arXiv subjects

S. Awaji

Publications and source records attributed to S. Awaji.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2024

Reinforcement of superconductivity by quantum critical fluctuations of metamagnetism in UTe$_2$

The normal-conducting state of the superconductor UTe$_2$ is studied by entropy analysis for magnetic fields along the $b$-axis, obtained from magnetization using the relation $(\partial M/\partial T)_B=(\partial S/\partial B)_T$. We observe a strong increase in entropy with magnetic field due to metamagnetic fluctuations (spatially uniform, $Q=0$). The field dependence is well described by the Hertz-Millis-Moriya theory for quantum criticality of itinerant metamagnetism. Notably, the lower bound of the quantum-critical region coincides well with the position of the minimum in the superconducting transition temperature $T_c(B)$. Hence, our results suggest that $Q=0$ fluctuations reinforce the superconductivity.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2023

Anomalous vortex dynamics in spin-triplet superconductor UTe$_2$

The vortex dynamics in the spin-triplet superconductor, UTe$_2$, are studied by measuring the DC electrical resistivity with currents along the $a$-axis under magnetic fields along the $b$-axis. Surprisingly, we have discovered an island region of low critical current deep inside the superconducting (SC) state, well below the SC upper critical field, attributed to a weakening of vortex pinning. Notably, this region coincides with the recently proposed intermediate-field SC state. We discuss the possibility of nonsingular vortices in the intermediate state, where SC order parameter does not vanish entirely in the vortex cores due to the mixing of multiple SC components.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2022

Self-reconstruction of order parameter in spin-triplet superconductor UTe$_2$

We investigate the effect of easy-axis metamagnetic crossover on superconductivity in UTe$_2$ along the $a$-axis through measurements of AC susceptibility, magnetization, and the magnetocaloric effect. In ultra-clean single crystals, we identify a field-induced phase transition within the superconducting state at 5.6 T, driven by metamagnetism. This transition leads to a high-field superconducting state, significantly increasing the upper critical field to 12 T. A sudden increase in entropy at the transition suggests a self-reconstruction of the order parameter, enabling multi-component superconducting states to adapt to external perturbations.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2022

Field Induced Multiple Superconducting Phases in UTe2 along Hard Magnetic Axis

The superconducting (SC) phase diagram in uranium ditelluride is explored under magnetic fields ($H$) along the hard magnetic b-axis using a high-quality single crystal with $T_{\rm c} = 2.1$ K. Simultaneous electrical resistivity and AC magnetic susceptibility measurements discern low- and high-field SC (LFSC and HFSC, respectively) phases with contrasting field-angular dependence. Crystal quality increases the upper critical field of the LFSC phase, but the $H^{\ast}$ of $\sim$15 T, at which the HFSC phase appears, is always the same through the various crystals. A phase boundary signature is also observed inside the LFSC phase near $H^{\ast}$, indicating an intermediate SC phase characterized by small flux pinning forces.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2021

Electric Quadrupolar Contributions in the Magnetic Phases of UNi$_4$B

We present acoustic signatures of the electric quadrupolar degrees of freedom in the honeycomb-layer compound UNi$_4$B. The transverse ultrasonic mode $C_{66}$ shows softening below 30 K both in the paramagnetic phase and antiferromagnetic phases down to $\sim0.33$ K. Furthermore, we traced magnetic field-temperature phase diagrams up to 30 T and observed a highly anisotropic elastic response within the honeycomb layer. These observations strongly suggest that $\Gamma_6$(E$_{\rm 2g}$) electric quadrupolar degrees of freedom in localized $5f^2$ ($J = 4$) states are playing an important role in the magnetic toroidal dipole order and magnetic-field-induced phases of UNi$_4$B, and evidence some of the U ions remain in the paramagnetic state even if the system undergoes magnetic toroidal ordering.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2020

Magnetic-field-induced topological phase transition in Fe-doped (Bi,Sb)$_2$Se$_3$ heterostructures

Three-dimensional topological insulators (3D-TIs) possess a specific topological order of electronic bands, resulting in gapless surface states via bulk-edge correspondence. Exotic phenomena have been realized in ferromagnetic TIs, such as the quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) effect with a chiral edge conduction and a quantized value of the Hall resistance ${R_{yx}}$. Here, we report on the emergence of distinct topological phases in paramagnetic Fe-doped (Bi,Sb)${_2}$Se${_3}$ heterostructures with varying structure architecture, doping, and magnetic and electric fields. Starting from a 3D-TI, a two-dimensional insulator appears at layer thicknesses below a critical value, which turns into an Anderson insulator for Fe concentrations sufficiently large to produce localization by magnetic disorder. With applying a magnetic field, a topological transition from the Anderson insulator to the QAH state occurs, which is driven by the formation of an exchange gap owing to a giant Zeeman splitting and reduced magnetic disorder. Topological phase diagram of (Bi,Sb)${_2}$Se${_3}$ allows exploration of intricate interplay of topological protection, magnetic disorder, and exchange splitting.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2017

Quantum Hall effect in a bulk antiferromagnet EuMnBi$_2$ with magnetically confined two-dimensional Dirac fermions

For the innovation of spintronic technologies, Dirac materials, in which the low-energy excitation is described as relativistic Dirac fermions, are one of the most promising systems, because of the fascinating magnetotransport associated with the extremely high mobility. To incorporate Dirac fermions into spintronic applications, their quantum transport phenomena are desired to be manipulated to a large extent by magnetic order in a solid. We here report a bulk half-integer quantum Hall effect in a layered antiferromagnet EuMnBi$_2$, in which field-controllable Eu magnetic order significantly suppresses the interlayer coupling between the Bi layers with Dirac fermions. In addition to the high mobility more than 10,000 cm$^2$/Vs, Landau level splittings presumably due to the lifting of spin and valley degeneracy are noticeable even in a bulk magnet. These results will pave a route to the engineering of magnetically functionalized Dirac materials.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2015

Magnetic field-induced insulator-semimetal transition in a pyrochlore Nd2Ir2O7

We have investigated magneto-transport properties in a single crystal of pyrochore-type Nd2Ir2O7. The metallic conduction is observed on the antiferromagnetic domain walls of the all-in all-out type Ir-5d moment ordered insulating bulk state, that can be finely controlled by external magnetic field along [111]. On the other hand, an applied field along [001] induces the bulk phase transition from insulator to semimetal as a consequence of the field-induced modification of Nd-4f and Ir-5d moment configurations. A theoretical calculation consistently describing the experimentally observed features suggests a variety of exotic topological states as functions of electron correlation and Ir-5d moment orders which can be finely tuned by choice of rare-earth ion and by magnetic field, respectively.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2014

Numerical evaluation of AC losses in an HTS insert coil for high field magnet during its energization

AC losses in a high temperature superconducting (HTS) insert coil for a 25-T cryogen-free superconducting magnet are numerically calculated during its energization, assuming slab approximation. The HTS insert coil consists of 68 single pancakes wound with coated conductors and generating a central magnetic field of 11.5 T, in addition to a contribution of 14.0 T from a set of low temperature superconducting (LTS) outsert coils. Both the HTS and LTS coils are cooled using cryocoolers, and energized simultaneously up to 25.5 T with a constant ramp rate for 60 min. The influences of the magnitudes and orientations of the locally applied magnetic fields, magnetic interactions between turns, and the transport currents flowing in the windings are taken into account in the AC loss calculations. The locally applied fields are separated into axial and radial components, and the individual contributions of these field components to the AC losses are summed simply to obtain the total losses. The contribution of the axial field component to the total AC loss is large at the early stages of the energization, whereas the total losses monotonically increase with time after the contribution of the radial field component becomes sufficiently large.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2011

Insulating phase of a two-dimensional electron gas in MgZnO/ZnO heterostructure below nu = 1/3

We report magnetotransport properties of a two-dimensional electron gas confined at MgZnO/ZnO heterointerface in a high magnetic field up to 26 T. High electron mobility and low charge carrier density enabled the observation of the fractional quantum Hall state nu = 1/3. For an even lower charge carrier density, we observe a transition from quantum Hall liquid to an insulator below the filling factor 1/3. Because of the large electron effective mass in ZnO, we suggest the MgZnO/ZnO heterostructure to be a prototype system for highly correlated quantum Hall physics.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2010

Fabrication and some properties of biaxially aligned Sr0.6K0.4Fe2As2 superconductors by processing in high magnetic field

We fabricated the c axis and ab-plane biaxially aligned Sr0.6K0.4Fe2As2 superconductor using a two-step magnetic field procedure. The effect of magnetic fields on the structure and superconducting properties of Sr0.6K0.4Fe2As2 has been investigated by using X-ray diffraction and magnetic measurements. The degree of orientation of the samples was about 0.39 for the c axis and 0.51 for ab-plane orientation, as evaluated from the Lotgering factor of X-ray diffraction. This technology might be useful in a variety of potential applications, including preparing iron based superconducting bulks and wires with high critical currents.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2009

$^{63/65}$Cu- and $^{35/37}$Cl-NMR Studies of Triplet Localization in the Quantum Spin System NH$_4$CuCl$_3$

$^{63/65}$Cu- and $^{35/37}$Cl-NMR experiments were performed to investigate triplet localization in the $S=1/2$ dimer compound NH$_4$CuCl$_3$, which shows magnetization plateaus at one-quarter and three-quarters of the saturation magnetization. In $^{63/65}$Cu-NMR experiments, signal from only the singlet Cu site was observed, because that from the triplet Cu site was invisible due to the strong spin fluctuation of onsite 3$d$-spins. We found that the temperature dependence of the shift of $^{63/65}$Cu-NMR spectra at the singlet Cu site deviated from that of macroscopic magnetization below T=6 K. This deviation is interpreted as the triplet localization in this system. From the $^{35/37}$Cl-NMR experiments at the 1/4-plateau phase, we found the two different temperature dependences of Cl-shift, namely the temperature dependence of one deviates below T=6 K from that of the macroscopic magnetization as observed in the $^{63/65}$Cu-NMR experiments, whereas the other corresponds well with that of the macroscopic magnetization in the entire experimental temperature region. We interpreted these dependences as reflecting the transferred hyperfine field at the Cl site located at a singlet site and at a triplet site, respectively. This result also indicates that the triplets are localized at low temperatures. $^{63/65}$Cu-NMR experiments performed at high magnetic fields between the one-quarter and three-quarters magnetization plateaus have revealed that the two differently oriented dimers in the unit cell are equally occupied by triplets, the fact of which limits the theoretical model on the periodic structure of the localized triplets.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2008

A cheap liquid additive from acetone for strong in-field Jc enhancement in MgB2 conductors

We report on significant flux pinning enhancement in MgB2/Fe tapes that has been easily obtained by a simple and cheap route using acetone as both an efficient ball-milling medium and liquid additive through the in situ method. Results showed that the highly reactive C released from the decomposition of the acetone substituted into B sites, accompanied by the grain refinement effect due to the acetone doping. At 4.2 K, the transport Jc for the 5 wt % acetone doped tapes sintered at 700C reached up to 2.4x10^4 A/cm^2 at 10 T, which is even higher than that of the nano-C added samples heated at 900C.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2007

NMR Study on the Vortex Slush Phase in Organic Superconductor κ-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu(NCS)2

The vortex state in a single crystal of the layered organic superconductor κ-(BEDT-TTF2Cu(NCS)2, where BEDT-TTF (or ET) is bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene, was studied by 1H-NMR. Under a low field region around 0.75 T, the vortex glass-liquid transition was demonstrated by a diverging of the longitudinal nuclear spin relaxation rate and peak-broadening in spectra. Under a high field region near the upper critical field Hc2(0)~7 T, the curvature of nuclear spin relaxation curves showed a drastic change at the temperature where the emergence of the quantum vortex slush state was reported. The mechanism in this curvature change was discussed in terms of the fluctuating field produced by fragments of vortex glass.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2006

Improved critical current densities in MgB2 tapes with ZrB2 doping

MgB2/Fe tapes with 2.5-15 at.% ZrB2 additions were prepared through the in situ powder-in-tube method. Compared to the pure tape, a significant improvement in the in-field critical current density Jc was observed, most notably for 10 at.% doping, while the critical temperature decreased slightly. At 4.2 K, the transport Jc for the 10 at.% doped sample increased by more than an order of magnitude than the undoped one in magnetic fields above 9 T. Nanoscale segregates or defects caused by the ZrB2 additions which act as effective flux pinning centers are proposed to be the main reason for the improved Jc field performance.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2006

Improved properties of epitaxial YNixMn1-xO3 films by annealing under high magnetic fields

The effect of annealing under a magnetic field on the microstructure and properties of YNixMn1-xO3 (x=0.33 and 0.5) films has been investigated. It is found that the ferromagnetic transition temperature is significantly enhanced after post annealing in the presence of an 8 T magnetic field. Characterization study shows that the microstructure is affected, obtaining larger grains of uniform size when films are annealed under a magnetic field. The improvement in the ordering temperature of all films is interpreted in terms of the grain growth caused by the magnetic-field driving force for boundary motion where the exchange coupling is high.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2006

Cu-NMR study on the disordered quantum spin magnet with the Bose-glass ground state

Cu-NMR study has been performed on the disordered spin-gap system Tl1-xKxCuCl3 In the high-field H > HC=Δ/μ_B, where Δis the spin-gap, the hyperfine field becomes extremely inhomogeneous at low temperatures due to the field-induced magnetic order, indicating that the ordered spin state must be different from the pure TlCuCl3. In the low field H < HC, a saturating behavior in the longitudinal nuclear spin relaxation rate 1/T1 was observed at low temperatures, indicating existence of the magnetic ground state proposed to be Bose-glass phase by Fisher.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2006

Large irreversibility field in nanoscale C-doped MgB2/Fe tape conductors

We investigated the effect of nanoscale-C doping on the critical current density Jc and irreversibility field Birr of Fe-sheathed MgB2 tapes prepared by the in-situ powder-in-tube method. The tapes were heat treated at 600-950C for 1 h. Higher values of Jc and Birr were seen for 5 at.%C-doped MgB2 tapes at higher sintering temperatures, where substantial substitution of boron for carbon occurred. The C-doped samples sintered at 950C showed the highest Birr, for example, at 4.2 K, the Birr reached 22.9 T. In particular, at 20 K, Birr for the C-doped tape achieved 9 T, which is comparable to the upper critical field of the commercial NbTi at 4.2 K. This role of nano-sized C particles can be very beneficial in the fabrication of MgB2 tapes for magnetic resonance imaging applications at 20 K.

cond-mat.supr-con↗