arXiv subjects

S. Y. Li

Publications and source records attributed to S. Y. Li.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2015

Universal Heat Conduction in Ce1-xYbxCoIn5: Evidence for Robust Nodal d-wave Superconducting Gap

In heavy-fermion superconductor Ce$_{1-x}$Yb$_x$CoIn$_5$ system, Yb doping was reported to cause a possible change from nodal $d$-wave superconductivity to a fully gapped $d$-wave molecular superfluid of composite pairs near $x \approx$ 0.07 (nominal value $x_{nom}$ = 0.2). Here we present systematic thermal conductivity measurements on Ce$_{1-x}$Yb$_x$CoIn$_5$ ($x$ = 0.013, 0.084, and 0.163) single crystals. The observed finite residual linear term $κ_0/T$ is insensitive to Yb doping, verifying the universal heat conduction of nodal $d$-wave superconducting gap in Ce$_{1-x}$Yb$_x$CoIn$_5$. Similar universal heat conduction is also observed in CeCo(In$_{1-y}$Cd$_y$)$_5$ system. These results reveal robust nodal $d$-wave gap in CeCoIn$_5$ upon Yb or Cd doping.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2015

Doping evolution of the superconducting gap structure in heavily hole-doped Ba$_{1-x}$K$_x$Fe$_2$As$_2$: heat transport study

We performed systematic thermal conductivity measurements on heavily hole-doped Ba$_{1-x}$K$_x$Fe$_2$As$_2$ single crystals with 0.747 $\leq x \leq$ 0.974. At $x$ = 0.747, the $κ_0/T$ is negligible, indicating nodeless superconducting gap. A small residual linear term $κ_0/T$ ($\approx$ 0.035 mW/K$^2$ cm) appears at $x$ = 0.826, and it increases slowly up to $x$ = 0.974, followed by a drastic increase of more than 20 times to the pure KFe$_2$As$_2$ ($x$ = 1.0). This doping dependence of $κ_0/T$ clearly shows that the nodal gap appears near $x = 0.8$, likely associated with the change of Fermi surface topology. The small values of $κ_0/T$ from $x$ = 0.826 to 0.974 support a "$\curlyvee$"-shaped nodal $s$-wave gap recently revealed by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy experiments at $x$ = 0.9. Furthermore, the drastic increase of $κ_0/T$ from $x$ = 0.974 to 1.0 is inconsistent with a symmetry-imposed $d$-wave gap in KFe$_2$As$_2$, and the possible nodal gap structure in KFe$_2$As$_2$ is discussed.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2015

Drastic pressure effect on the extremely large magnetoresistance in WTe2: quantum oscillation study

The quantum oscillations of the magnetoresistance under ambient and high pressure have been studied for WTe$_2$ single crystals, in which extremely large magnetoresistance was discovered recently. By analyzing the Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations, four Fermi surfaces are identified, and two of them are found to persist to high pressure. The sizes of these two pockets are comparable, but show increasing difference with pressure. At 0.3 K and in 14.5 T, the magnetoresistance decreases drastically from 1.25 $\times$ $10^5$\% under ambient pressure to 7.47 $\times$ $10^3$\% under 23.6 kbar, which is likely caused by the relative change of Fermi surfaces. These results support the scenario that the perfect balance between the electron and hole populations is the origin of the extremely large magnetoresistance in WTe$_2$.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2015

Studying color connection effects of $e^+e^- \to c\bar{c}c\bar{c} \to Ξ_{cc}+X $ process within Quark Combination Model

The color connection of the parton system is an important bridge to connect the perturbative process and the hadronization one. The special color connection of four-heavy-quark system in $e^+e^-$ annihilation, which is the necessary one for the doubly heavy baryon and tetraquark productions is revisited. The hadronization effects, investigated with the help of the Quark Combination Model are compared with the corresponding results employing the Lund String Model in our previous work. The global properties related to a certain color connection are not sensitive to various hadronization models.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2015

High-pressure study of the Weyl semimetal NbAs

We performed a series of high-pressure synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) and resistance measurements on the Weyl semimetal NbAs. The crystal structure remains stable up to 26 GPa according to the powder XRD data. The resistance of NbAs single crystal increases monotonically with pressure at low temperature. Up to 20 GPa, no superconducting transition is observed down to 0.3 K. These results show that the Weyl semimetal phase is robust in NbAs, and applying pressure is not a good way to get a topological superconductor from a Weyl semimetal.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2015

Superconductivity at 2.5 K in new transition-metal chalcogenide Ta2PdSe5

We report the synthesis and superconducting properties of a new transition-metal chalcogenide Ta$_2$PdSe$_5$. The measurements of resistivity, magnetization, and specific heat reveal that Ta$_2$PdSe$_5$ is a bulk superconductor with $T_c$ $\simeq$ 2.5 K. The zero-field electronic specific heat in the superconducting state can be fitted with a two-gap BCS model. The upper critical field $H_{c2}$ shows a linear temperature dependence, and the value of $H_{c2}$(0) is much higher than the estimated Pauli limiting field $H_{c2}^{P}$ and orbital limiting field $H_{c2}^{orb}$. All these results of specific heat and upper critical field suggest that Ta$_2$PdSe$_5$ is a multi-band superconductor.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2015

Nodal superconductivity and superconducting dome in new layered superconductor Ta4Pd3Te16

We measured the low-temperature thermal conductivity of a new layered superconductor with quasi-one-dimensional characteristics, the ternary telluride Ta$_4$Pd$_3$Te$_{16}$ with transition temperature $T_c \approx$ 4.3 K. The significant residual linear term of thermal conductivity in zero magnetic field and its rapid field dependence provide evidences for nodes in the superconducting gap. By measuring resistivity under pressures, we reveal a superconducting dome in the temperature-pressure phase diagram. The existence of gap nodes and superconducting dome suggests unconventional superconductivity in Ta$_4$Pd$_3$Te$_{16}$, which may relate to a charge-density wave instability in this low-dimensional compound.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2015

Heat transport in RbFe2As2 single crystal: evidence for nodal superconducting gap

The in-plane thermal conductivity of iron-based superconductor RbFe$_2$As$_2$ single crystal ($T_c \approx$ 2.1 K) was measured down to 100 mK. In zero field, the observation of a significant residual linear term $κ_0/T$ = 0.65 mW K$^{-2}$ cm$^{-1}$ provides clear evidence for nodal superdonducting gap. The field dependence of $κ_0/T$ is similar to that of its sister compound CsFe$_2$As$_2$ with comparable residual resistivity $ρ_0$, and lies between the dirty and clean KFe$_2$As$_2$. These results suggest that the (K,Rb,Cs)Fe$_2$As$_2$ serial superconductors have a common nodal gap structure.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2014

Multi-gap nodeless superconductivity in nickel chalcogenide TlNi2Se2

Low-temperature thermal conductivity measurements were performed on single crystals of TlNi$_2$Se$_2$, a nickel-chalcogenide heavy-electron superconductor with $T_c$ $\simeq$ 3.7 K. In zero field, the residual electronic contribution at $T$ $\rightarrow$ 0 K ($κ_0/T$) was well separated from the total thermal conductivity, which is less than 0.45\% of its normal-state value. Such a tiny residual $κ_0/T$ is unlikely contributed by the nodal quasiparticles. Nodeless gap structure is supported by the very weak field dependence of $κ_0(H)/T$ in low magnetic fields. In the whole field range, $κ_0(H)/T$ exhibits an "$S$"-shape curve, as in the case of nickel pnictides BaNi$_2$As$_2$ and SrNi$_2$P$_2$. This common feature of nickel-based superconductors can be explained by multiple nodeless superconducting gaps.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2014

Quantum transport evidence for a three-dimensional Dirac semimetal phase in Cd3As2

The material termed three-dimensional (3D) Dirac semimetal has attracted great interests recently, since it is an electronic analogue to two-dimensional graphene. Starting from this novel phase, various topologically distinct phases may be obtained, such as topological insulator, Weyl semimetal, quantum spin Hall insulator, and topological superconductor. Soon after the theoretical predictions, the angle-resolve photoemission spectroscopy and scanning tunnelling microscopy experiments gave evidences for 3D Dirac points in Na3Bi and Cd3As2. Here we report quantum transport properties of Cd3As2 single crystal in magnetic field. A sizable linear quantum magnetoresistance is observed at high temperature. With decreasing temperature, the Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations appear in both longitudinal resistance Rxx and transverse Hall resistance Rxy. From the strong oscillatory component ΔRxx, the linear dependence of Landau index n on 1/B gives an n-axis intercept 0.58. Our quantum transport result clearly reveals a nontrivial π Berry's phase, thus provides strong bulk evidence for a 3D Dirac semimetal phase in Cd3As2. This may open new perspectives for its use in electronic devices.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2014

Nodeless superconducting gaps in Ca$_{10}$(Pt$_{4-δ}$As$_8$)((Fe$_{1-x}$Pt$_{x}$)$_2$As$_2$)$_5$ probed by quasiparticle heat transport

The in-plane thermal conductivity of iron-based superconductor Ca$_{10}$(Pt$_{4-δ}$As$_8$)((Fe$_{1-x}$Pt$_{x}$)$_2$As$_2$)$_5$ single crystal (``10-4-8", $T_c$ = 22 K) was measured down to 80 mK. In zero field, the residual linear term $κ_0/T$ is negligible, suggesting nodeless superconducting gaps in this multiband compound. In magnetic fields, $κ_0/T$ increases rapidly, which mimics those of multiband superconductor NbSe$_2$ and LuNi$_2$B$_2$C with highly anisotropic gap. Such a field dependence of $κ_0/T$ is an evidence for multiple superconducting gaps with quite different magnitudes or highly anisotropic gap. Comparing with the London penetration depth results of Ca$_{10}$(Pt$_3$As$_8$)((Fe$_{1-x}$Pt$_{x}$)$_2$As$_2$)$_5$ (``10-3-8") compound, the 10-4-8 and 10-3-8 compounds may have similar superconducting gap structure.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2014

Anomalous impurity effects in the iron-based superconductor KFe$_2$As$_2$

High-quality K(Fe$_{1-x}$Co$_x$)$_2$As$_2$ single crystals have been grown by using KAs flux method. Instead of increasing the superconducting transition temperature $T_{\rm c}$ through electron doping, we find that Co impurities rapidly suppress $T_{\rm c}$ down to zero at only $x \approx$ 0.04. Such an effective suppression of $T_{\rm c}$ by impurities is quite different from that observed in Ba$_{0.5}$K$_{0.5}$Fe$_2$As$_2$ with multiple nodeless superconducting gaps. Thermal conductivity measurements in zero field show that the residual linear term $κ_0/T$ only change slightly with $3.4\%$ Co doping, despite the sharp increase of scattering rate. The implications of these anomalous impurity effects are discussed.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2013

Structure and thermodynamic properties of a weakly-coupled antiferromagnetic spin-1/2 chain compound (C5H12N)CuBr3

Single crystals of a metal organic complex \ce{(C5H12N)CuBr3} (\ce{C5H12N} = piperidinium, pipH for short) have been synthesized and the structure was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. \ce{(pipH)CuBr3} crystallizes in the monoclinic group $C$2/$c$. Edging-sharing \ce{CuBr5} units link to form zigzag chains along the $c$ axis and the neighboring Cu(II) ions with spin-1/2 are bridged by bi-bromide ions. Magnetic susceptibility data down to 1.8 K can be well fitted by the Bonner-Fisher formula for antiferromagnetic spin-1/2 chain, giving the intrachain magnetic coupling constant $J$ $\sim$ 17 K. At zero field, \ce{(pipH)CuBr3} shows three-dimensional (3D) order below $T_N$ = 1.68 K. Calculated by the mean-field theory, the interchain coupling constant $J'$ = 0.65 K is obtained and the ordered magnetic moment $m_0$ is about 0.20 $μ_B$. This value of $m_0$ makes \ce{(pipH)CuBr3} a rare compound suitable to study the dimensional crossover problem in magnetism, since both 3D order and one-dimensional (1D) quantum fluctuations are prominent. In addition, specific heat measurements reveal two successive magnetic transitions with lowering temperature when external field $H \geq$ 3 T is applied along the $a'$ axis. The $H$ - $T$ phase diagram of \ce{(pipH)CuBr3} is roughly constructed. The interplay between exchange interactions, dimensionality, Zeeman energy and possible Dzyaloshinkii-Moriya interaction should be the driving force for the multiple phase transitions.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2013

Nodeless superconductivity in Ir$_{1-x}$Pt$_x$Te$_2$ with strong spin-orbital coupling

The thermal conductivity $κ$ of superconductor Ir$_{1-x}$Pt$_{x}$Te$_2$ ($x$ = 0.05) single crystal with strong spin-orbital coupling was measured down to 50 mK. The residual linear term $κ_0/T$ is negligible in zero magnetic field. In low magnetic field, $κ_0/T$ shows a slow field dependence. These results demonstrate that the superconducting gap of Ir$_{1-x}$Pt$_{x}$Te$_2$ is nodeless, and the pairing symmetry is likely conventional s-wave, despite the existence of strong spin-orbital coupling and a quantum critical point.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2013

Full superconducting gap in the doped topological crystalline insulator, Sn$_{0.6}$In$_{0.4}$Te

The thermal conductivity of the doped topological crystalline insulator, Sn$_{0.6}$In$_{0.4}$Te superconducting single crystal with $T_c =$ 4.1 K, was measured down to 50 mK. It is found that the residual linear term $κ_0/T$ is negligible in zero magnetic field. The $κ_0/T$ shows a slow field dependence at low magnetic field. These results suggest that the superconducting gap is nodeless, unless there exist point nodes with directions perpendicular to the heat current. Due to its high-symmetry fcc crystal structure of Sn$_{0.6}$In$_{0.4}$Te, however, such point nodes can be excluded. Therefore we demonstrate that this topological superconductor candidate has a full superconducting gap in the bulk. It is likely the unconventional odd-parity $A_{1u}$ state which supports a surface Andreev bound state.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2013

Nodal gap in iron-based superconductor CsFe$_2$As$_2$ probed by quasiparticle heat transport

The thermal conductivity of iron-based superconductor CsFe$_2$As$_2$ single crystal ($T_c =$ 1.81 K) was measured down to 50 mK. A significant residual linear term $κ_0/T$ = 1.27 mW K$^{-2}$ cm$^{-1}$ is observed in zero magnetic field, which is about 1/10 of the normal-state value in upper critical field $H_{c2}$. In low magnetic field, $κ_0/T$ increases rapidly with field. The overall field dependence of $κ_0/T$ for our CsFe$_2$As$_2$ (with residual resistivity $ρ_0$ = 1.80 $μΩ$ cm) lies between the dirty KFe$_2$As$_2$ (with $ρ_0$ = 3.32 $μΩ$ cm) and the clean KFe$_2$As$_2$ (with $ρ_0$ = 0.21 $μΩ$ cm). These results strongly suggest nodal superconducting gap in CsFe$_2$As$_2$, similar to its sister compound KFe$_2$As$_2$.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2013

Specific heat and thermal conductivity of ferromagnetic magnons in Yttrium Iron Garnet

The specific heat and thermal conductivity of the insulating ferrimagnet Y$_3$Fe$_5$O$_{12}$ (Yttrium Iron Garnet, YIG) single crystal were measured down to 50 mK. The ferromagnetic magnon specific heat $C$$_m$ shows a characteristic $T^{1.5}$ dependence down to 0.77 K. Below 0.77 K, a downward deviation is observed, which is attributed to the magnetic dipole-dipole interaction with typical magnitude of 10$^{-4}$ eV. The ferromagnetic magnon thermal conductivity $κ_m$ does not show the characteristic $T^2$ dependence below 0.8 K. To fit the $κ_m$ data, both magnetic defect scattering effect and dipole-dipole interaction are taken into account. These results complete our understanding of the thermodynamic and thermal transport properties of the low-lying ferromagnetic magnons.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2013

Calorimetric study in single crystal of CsFe$_2$As$_2$

We measured resistivity and specific heat of high-quality CsFe$_2$As$_2$ single crystals, which were grown by using a self-flux method. The CsFe$_2$As$_2$ crystal shows sharp superconducting transition at 1.8 K with the transition width of 0.1 K. The sharp superconducting transition and pronounced jump in specific heat indicate high quality of the crystals. Analysis on the superconducting-state specific heat supports unconventional pairing symmetry in CsFe$_2$As$_2$.

cond-mat.supr-con↗