arXiv subjects

Steven Johnston

Publications and source records attributed to Steven Johnston.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2020

Spectroscopic signatures of next-nearest-neighbor hopping in the charge and spin dynamics of doped one-dimensional antiferromagnets

We study the impact of next-nearest-neighbor (nnn) hopping on the low-energy collective excitations of strongly correlated doped antiferromagnetic cuprate spin chains. Specifically, we use exact diagonalization and the density matrix renormalization group method to study the single-particle spectral function, the dynamical spin and charge structure factors, and the Cu $L$-edge resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) intensity of the doped $t$-$t^\prime$-$J$ model for a set of $t^\prime$ values. We find evidence for the breakdown of spin-charge separation as $|t^\prime|$ increases and identify its fingerprints in the dynamical response functions. The inclusion of nnn hopping couples the spinon and holon excitations, resulting in the formation of a spin-polaron, where a ferromagnetic spin polarization cloud dresses the doped carrier. The spin-polaron manifests itself as additional spectral weight in the dynamical correlation functions, which appear simultaneously in the spin- and charge-sensitive channels. We also demonstrate that RIXS can provide a unique view of the spin-polaron, due to its sensitivity to both the spin and charge degrees of freedom.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2020

Determining the Electron-Phonon Coupling in Superconducting Cuprates by Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering: Methods and Results on Nd$_{1+x}$Ba$_{2-x}$Cu$_3$O$_{7-δ}$

The coupling between lattice vibration quanta and valence electrons can induce charge density modulations and decisively influence the transport properties of materials, e.g. leading to conventional superconductivity. In high critical temperature superconductors, where electronic correlation is the main actor, the actual role of electron-phonon coupling (EPC) is being intensely debated theoretically and investigated experimentally. We present an in-depth study of how the EPC strength can be obtained directly from resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) data through the theoretical approach derived by Ament et al. [EPL 95, 27008 (2011)]. The role of the model parameters (e.g. phonon energy $ω_0$, intermediate state lifetime $1/Γ$, EPC matrix element $M$, and detuning energy $Ω$) is thoroughly analyzed, providing general relations among them that can be used to make quantitative estimates of the dimensionless EPC $g = (M/ω_0)^2$ without detailed microscopic modeling. We then apply these methods to very high resolution Cu $L_3$ edge RIXS spectra of three Nd$_{1+x}$Ba$_{2-x}$Cu$_3$O$_{7-δ}$ films. For the insulating antiferromagnetic parent compound the value of $M$ as a function of the in-plane momentum transfer is obtained for Cu-O bond-stretching (breathing) and bond-bending (buckling) phonon branches. For the underdoped and the nearly optimally doped samples, the effects of Coulomb screening and of charge-density-wave correlations on $M$ are assessed. In light of the anticipated further improvements of the RIXS experimental resolution, this work provides a solid framework for an exhaustive investigation of the EPC in cuprates and other quantum materials.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2019

Accelerating lattice quantum Monte Carlo simulation using artificial neural networks: an application to the Holstein model

Monte Carlo (MC) simulations are essential computational approaches with widespread use throughout all areas of science. We present a method for accelerating lattice MC simulations using fully connected and convolutional artificial neural networks that are trained to perform local and global moves in configuration space, respectively. Both networks take local spacetime MC configurations as input features and can, therefore, be trained using samples generated by conventional MC runs on smaller lattices before being utilized for simulations on larger systems. This new approach is benchmarked for the case of determinant quantum Monte Carlo (DQMC) studies of the two-dimensional Holstein model. We find that both artificial neural networks are capable of learning an unspecified effective model that accurately reproduces the MC configuration weights of the original Hamiltonian and achieve an order of magnitude speedup over the conventional DQMC algorithm. Our approach is broadly applicable to many classical and quantum lattice MC algorithms.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2019

Homegrown Governments: Visualizing Regional Governance in the United States

Regional Intergovernmental Organizations (RIGOs) are constituted by the local governments within their respective regions and are supported by the active engagement of the regions community and citizens. Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), on the other hand, are classified by the federal government based on commuting and commerce patterns. They do not adhere to any local government. The Graduate School of Policy and International Affairs Center for Metropolitan Studies (GSPIA) at the University of Pittsburgh have been researching the boundaries of RIGOs and the characteristics defining them. In this paper, we propose, design, and implement an approach to enhance the current visualization by visualizing two categorical data: RIGOs and MSAs and the overlapping between them. We attempted to use a combination of visual attributes that leverage human perception system and do not impose cognitive and mental effort. The overall result of the evaluation shows that our work proved to be more effective than the current visualization.

cs.HC↗

arXiv2019

Theoretical study of the spin and charge dynamics of two-leg ladders as probed by resonant inelastic x-ray scattering

Resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) has become an important tool for studying elementary excitations in correlated materials. Here, we present a systematic theoretical investigation of the Cu L-edge RIXS spectra of undoped and doped cuprate two-leg spin-ladders in both the non-spin-conserving (NSC) and spin-conserving (SC) channels. The spectra are rich and host many exotic excitations. In the NSC-channel of the undoped case, we identify one-triplon and bound $\textit{triplet}$ two-triplon excitations in the strong-rung coupling limit, as well as confined spinons in the weak-rung coupling limit. In the doped case, we observe a quasiparticle excitation formed from a bound charge and spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ in the strong-rung coupling limit. In the SC-channel, we also identify several new features, including bound $\textit{singlet}$ two-triplon excitations and confined spinons in the undoped ladders in the strong- and weak-rung coupling limits, respectively. Conversely, in the doped case, the SC channel primarily probes both gapless and gapped charge excitations. Finally, we revisit the available data for the ladder compound Sr$_{14}$Cu$_{24}$O$_{41}$ in the context of our results.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2019

Quantum Monte Carlo study of lattice polarons in the two-dimensional multi-orbital Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model

We study a three-orbital Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model defined on a two-dimensional Lieb lattice and in the negative charge transfer regime using determinant quantum Monte Carlo. At half-filling (1 hole/unit cell), we observe a bipolaron insulating phase, where the ligand oxygen atoms collapse and expand about alternating cation atoms to produce a bond-disproportionated state. This phase is robust against moderate hole doping but is eventually suppressed at large hole concentrations, leading to a metallic polaron-liquid-like state with fluctuating patches of local distortions. Our results suggest that the polarons are highly disordered in the metallic state and freeze into a periodic array across the metal-to-insulator transition. We also find an $s$-wave superconducting state at finite doping that primarily appears on the oxygen sublattices. Our approach provides an efficient, non-perturbative way to treat bond phonons in higher dimensions and our results have implications for many materials where coupling to bond phonons is the dominant interaction.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2018

Fingerprints of an Exotic Orbital-Selective Mott Phase in the Block Magnetic State of BaFe$_2$Se$_3$ Ladders

Resonant Inelastic X-Ray Scattering (RIXS) experiments on the iron-based ladder BaFe$_2$Se$_3$ unveiled an unexpected two-peak structure associated with local orbital ($dd$) excitations in a block-type antiferromagnetic phase. A mixed character between correlated band-like and localized excitations was also reported. Here, we use the density matrix renormalization group method to calculate the momentum-resolved charge- and orbital-dynamical response functions of a multi-orbital Hubbard chain. Remarkably, our results qualitatively resemble the BaFe$_2$Se$_3$ RIXS data, while also capturing the presence of long-range magnetic order as found in neutron scattering, $only$ when the model is in an exotic orbital-selective Mott phase (OSMP). In the calculations, the experimentally observed zero-momentum transfer RIXS peaks correspond to excitations between itinerant and Mott insulating orbitals. We provide experimentally testable predictions for the momentum-resolved charge and orbital dynamical structures, which can provide further insight into the OSMP regime of BaFe$_2$Se$_3$.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2018

Temperature-filling phase diagram of the two-dimensional Holstein model in the thermodynamic limit by self-consistent Migdal approximation

We study the temperature-filling phase diagram of the single-band Holstein model in two dimensions using the self-consistent Migdal approximation, where both the electron and phonon self-energies are treated on an equal footing. By employing an efficient numerical algorithm utilizing fast Fourier transforms to evaluate momentum and Matsubara frequency summations, we determine the charge-density-wave (CDW) and superconducting transition temperatures in the thermodynamic limit using lattice sizes that are sufficient to eliminate significant finite size effects present at lower temperatures. We obtain the temperature-filling phase diagrams for a range of coupling strengths and phonon frequencies for the model defined on a square lattice with and without next-nearest neighbor hopping. We find the appearance of a superconducting dome with a critical temperature that decreases before reaching the $\mathbf{q}_{\text{max}} = (π,π)$ CDW phase boundary. For very low phonon frequencies, we also find an incommensurate CDW phase with the ordering vector $\mathbf{q}_{\text{max}} \approx (π,π)$ appearing between the commensurate CDW and superconducting phases. Our numerical implementation can be easily extended to treat momentum-dependent electron-phonon coupling, as well as dispersive phonon branches, and has been made available to the public.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2018

Phase competition in a one-dimensional three-orbital Hubbard-Holstein model

We study the interplay between the electron-phonon (e-ph) and on-site electron-electron (e-e) interactions in a three-orbital Hubbard-Holstein model on an extended one-dimensional lattice using determinant quantum Monte Carlo. For weak e-e and e-ph interactions, we observe a competition between an orbital-selective Mott phase (OSMP) and a (multicomponent) charge-density-wave (CDW) insulating phase, with an intermediate metallic phase located between them. For large e-e and e-ph couplings, the OSMP and CDW phases persist, while the metallic phase develops short-range orbital correlations and becomes insulating when both the e-e and e-ph interactions are large but comparable. Many of our conclusions are in line with those drawn from a prior dynamical mean field theory study of the two-orbital Hubbard-Holstein model [Phys. Rev. B 95, 12112(R) (2017)] in infinite dimension, suggesting that the competition between the e-ph and e-e interactions in multiorbital Hubbard-Holstein models leads to rich physics, regardless of the dimension of the system.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2018

Multi-spinon and holon excitations probed by resonant inelastic x-ray scattering on doped one-dimensional antiferromagnets

Resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) at the oxygen $K$-edge has recently accessed multi-spinon excitations in the one-dimensional antiferromagnet (1D-AFM) \sco, where four-spinon excitations are resolved separately from the two-spinon continuum. This technique, therefore, provides new opportunities to study fractionalized quasiparticle excitations in doped 1D-AFMs. To this end, we carried out exact diagonalization studies of the doped $t$-$J$ model and provided predictions for oxygen $K$-edge RIXS experiments on doped 1D-AFMs. We show that the RIXS spectra are rich, containing distinct two- and four-spinon excitations, dispersive (anti)holon excitations, and combinations thereof. Our results highlight how RIXS complements inelastic neutron scattering experiments by accessing additional charge and spin components of fractionalized quasiparticles.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2017

Polaronic behavior in a weak coupling superconductor

The nature of superconductivity in the dilute semiconductor SrTiO$_3$ has remained an open question for more than 50 years. The extremely low carrier densities ($10^{18}$ - $10^{20}$ cm$^{-3}$) at which superconductivity occurs suggests an unconventional origin of superconductivity outside of the adiabatic limit on which the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) and Migdal-Eliashberg (ME) theories are based. We take advantage of a newly developed method for engineering band alignments at oxide interfaces and access the electronic structure of Nb-doped SrTiO$_3$ using high resolution tunneling spectroscopy. We observe strong coupling to the highest energy longitudinal optic (LO) phonon branch and estimate the doping evolution of the dimensionless electron-phonon interaction strength ($λ$). Upon cooling below the superconducting transition temperature ($T_{\mathrm{c}}$), we observe a single superconducting gap corresponding to the weak-coupling limit of BCS theory, indicating an order of magnitude smaller coupling ($λ_{\textrm{BCS}} \approx 0.1$). These results suggest that despite the strong normal state interaction with electrons, the highest LO phonon does not provide a dominant contribution to pairing. They further demonstrate that SrTiO$_3$ is an ideal system to probe superconductivity over a wide range of carrier density, adiabatic parameter, and electron-phonon coupling strength.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2017

Zero-bias anomaly in nano-scale hole-doped Mott insulators on a triangular silicon surface

Adsorption of 1/3 monolayer of Sn on a heavily-doped p-type Si(111) substrate results in the formation of a hole-doped Mott insulator, with electronic properties that are remarkably similar to those of the high-Tc copper oxide compounds. In this work, we show that the maximum hole-density of this system increases with decreasing domain size as the area of the Mott insulating domains approaches the nanoscale regime. Concomitantly, scanning tunneling spectroscopy data at 4.4 K reveal an increasingly prominent zero bias anomaly (ZBA). We consider two different scenarios as potential mechanisms for this ZBA: chiral d_(x^2 -y^2 )+ id_xy wave superconductivity and a dynamical Coulomb blockade (DCB) effect. The latter arises due to the formation of a resistive depletion layer between the nano-domains and the substrate. Both models fit the tunneling spectra with weaker ZBAs, while the DCB model clearly fits better to spectra recorded at higher temperatures or from the smallest domains with the strongest ZBA. Consistently, STS spectra from the lightly-doped substrates display oscillatory behavior that can be attributed to conventional Coulomb staircase behavior, which becomes stronger for smaller sized domains. We conclude that the ZBA is predominantly due to a DCB effect, while a superconducting instability is absent or a minor contributing factor.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2017

Switching Magnetism and Superconductivity with Spin-Polarized Current in Iron-Based Superconductor

We have explored a new mechanism for switching magnetism and superconductivity in a magnetically frustrated iron-based superconductor using spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy (SPSTM). Our SPSTM study on single crystal Sr$_2$VO$_3$FeAs shows that a spin-polarized tunneling current can switch the Fe-layer magnetism into a non-trivial $C_4$ (2$\times$2) order, not achievable by thermal excitation with unpolarized current. Our tunneling spectroscopy study shows that the induced $C_4$ (2$\times$2) order has characteristics of plaquette antiferromagnetic order in Fe layer and strongly suppressed superconductivity. Also, thermal agitation beyond the bulk Fe spin ordering temperature erases the $C_4$ state. These results suggest a new possibility of switching local superconductivity by changing the symmetry of magnetic order with spin-polarized and unpolarized tunneling currents in iron-based superconductors.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2017

Doping dependence of ordered phases and emergent quasiparticles in the doped Hubbard-Holstein model

We present determinant quantum Monte Carlo simulations of the hole-doped single-band Hubbard-Holstein model on a square lattice, to investigate how quasiparticles emerge when doping a Mott insulator (MI) or a Peierls insulator (PI). The MI regime at large Hubbard interaction $U$ and small relative electron-phonon coupling strength $λ$ is quickly suppressed upon doping, by drawing spectral weight from the upper Hubbard band and shifting the lower Hubbard band towards the Fermi level, leading to a metallic state with emergent quasiparticles at the Fermi level. On the other hand, the PI regime at large $λ$ and small $U$ persists out to relatively high doping levels. We study the evolution of the $d$-wave superconducting susceptibility with doping, and find that it increases with lowering temperature in a regime of intermediate values of $U$ and $λ$.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2017

Correlation of Fe-based Superconductivity and Electron-Phonon Coupling in an FeAs/Oxide Heterostructure

Interfacial phonons between iron-based superconductors (FeSCs) and perovskite substrates have received considerable attention due to the possibility of enhancing preexisting superconductivity. Using scanning tunneling spectroscopy, we studied the correlation between superconductivity and e-ph interaction with interfacial-phonons in an iron-based superconductor Sr$_2$VO$_3$FeAs ($T_c \approx$ 33 K) made of alternating FeSC and oxide layers. The quasiparticle interference measurement over regions with systematically different average superconducting gaps due to the e-ph coupling locally modulated by O vacancies in VO$_2$ layer, and supporting self-consistent momentum-dependent Eliashberg calculations provide a unique real-space evidence of the forward-scattering interfacial phonon contribution to the total superconducting pairing.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2017

Competing phases and orbital-selective behaviors in the two-orbital Hubbard-Holstein model

We study the interplay between the electron-electron (e-e) and the electron-phonon (e-ph) interactions in the two-orbital Hubbard-Holstein model at half filling using the dynamical mean field theory. We find that the e-ph interaction, even at weak couplings, strongly modifies the phase diagram of this model and introduces an orbital-selective Peierls insulating phase (OSPI) that is analogous to the widely studied orbital-selective Mott phase (OSMP). At small e-e and e-ph coupling, we find a competition between the OSMP and the OSPI, while at large couplings, a competition occurs between Mott and charge-density-wave (CDW) insulating phases. We further demonstrate that the Hund's coupling influences the OSPI transition by lowering the energy associated with the CDW. Our results explicitly show that one must be cautious when neglecting the e-ph interaction in multiorbital systems, where multiple electronic interactions create states that are readily influenced by perturbing interactions.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2017

Phonon linewidth due to electron-phonon interactions with strong forward scattering in FeSe thin films on oxide substrates

The discovery of an enhanced superconducting transition temperature $T_c$ in monolayers of FeSe grown on several oxide substrates has opened a new route to high-$T_c$ superconductivity through interface engineering. One proposal for the origin of the observed enhancement is an electron-phonon (e-ph) interaction across the interface that peaked at small momentum transfers. In this paper, we examine the implications of such a coupling on the phononic properties of the system. We show that a strong forward scattering leads to a sizable broadening of phonon lineshape, which may result in charge instabilities at long-wavelengths. However, we further find that the inclusion of Coulombic screening significantly reduces the phonon broadening. Our results show that one might not expect anomalously broad phonon linewidths in the FeSe interface systems, despite the fact that the e-ph interaction has a strong peak in the forward scattering (small $q$) direction.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2015

Correction terms for propagators and d'Alembertians due to spacetime discreteness

The causal set approach to quantum gravity models spacetime as a discrete structure - a causal set. Recent research has led to causal set models for the retarded propagator for the Klein-Gordon equation and the d'Alembertian operator. These models can be compared to their continuum counterparts via a sprinkling process. It has been shown that the models agree exactly with the continuum quantities in the limit of an infinite sprinkling density - the continuum limit. This paper obtains the correction terms for these models for sprinkled causal sets with a finite sprinkling density. These correction terms are an important step towards testable differences between the continuum and discrete models that could provide evidence of spacetime discreteness.

hep-th↗