arXiv subjects

Taishun Manjo

Publications and source records attributed to Taishun Manjo.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Antiferromagnetic Dimers in the Parent Phase of a Correlated Kagome Superconductor

Kagome metals are prone to charge-density wave (CDW), magnetic, and superconducting phases, with their flat electronic band conducive for correlated physics. In contrast to the weakly correlated $A$V$_3$Sb$_5$ ($A$ = K, Rb, Cs) kagome metals with a $2\times2$ CDW, CsCr$_3$Sb$_5$ is a correlated metal with a flat band close to the Fermi level, and exhibits a $4\times1$ CDW intertwined with magnetic order. Under pressure, the intertwined orders are suppressed and give way to a dome of superconductivity that emerges from a non-Fermi liquid normal state. Here, we solve the crystal structure of the $4\times 1$ CDW state in CsCr$_3$Sb$_5$, and show it consists of Cr dimers separated by Cr chains. First-principles calculations show the dominant exchange interaction is antiferromagnetic within the dimers, while the intra-chain and dimer-chain couplings are much weaker. The CDW transition of CsCr$_3$Sb$_5$ is found to be more strongly first-order than those in $A$V$_3$Sb$_5$, without significant soft phonons or diffuse scattering above the CDW transition temperature. These findings suggest that fluctuating antiferromagnetic dimers may play a major role in the electron pairing of superconducting CsCr$_3$Sb$_5$.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2026

Real-space determination of orbital states driving successive phase transitions in FeV2O4

Direct experimental access to orbital states in strongly correlated materials remains a major challenge, despite their central role in driving coupled structural and magnetic phase transitions. In systems where electronic correlations, electron-lattice coupling, and relativistic spin-orbit interactions compete on comparable energy scales, even first-principles calculations often yield multiple metastable solutions, hindering the unambiguous identification of the ground state. Here, we demonstrate that the orbital states of the spinel oxide FeV2O4, which possesses active orbital degrees of freedom on both Fe and V ions, are uniquely resolved by combining valence electron density (VED) analysis based on state-of-the-art synchrotron x-ray diffraction with spin-polarized density-functional-theory calculations. Our results reveal that temperature-dependent rearrangements of orbital occupations drive successive structural transitions that accompany collinear and noncoplanar ferrimagnetic orders, establishing a direct correspondence between orbital anisotropy and spin structure. More broadly, this work shows that experimentally determined VED provides a decisive real-space constraint on competing theoretical solutions, offering a powerful and broadly applicable framework for elucidating the microscopic mechanisms of complex phase transitions in strongly correlated electron systems.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2026

Phonons reflect dynamic spin-state order in LaCoO$_3$

We investigate lattice dynamics in LaCoO$_3$ using inelastic neutron and x-ray scattering over $T = 2\mbox{-}650\,\mathrm{K}$, spanning the spin-state crossover at $T_{1} \approx 100\,\mathrm{K}$ and the insulator--metal transition at $T_{2} \approx 550\,\mathrm{K}$. Comparison with quasi-harmonic $ab-initio$ lattice-dynamical calculations helps reveal anomalous softening of a $\approx 10\,\mathrm{meV}$ oxygen phonon, confined to the temperature interval $T_{1} \leq T \leq T_{2}$ and localized in momentum space at $\boldsymbol{q}_{\mathrm{SSO}} = \left( \frac{1}{2},\frac{1}{2},\frac{1}{2} \right)_{c}$. This wave vector corresponds to the spin-state ordering originally proposed by Goodenough [J. Phys. Chem. Solids 6, 287-297 (1958)]. Our results therefore provide momentum-resolved evidence for dynamic correlations of high-spin and low-spin Co$^{3+}$ states in LaCoO$_{3}$, linking spin-state fluctuations to anomalous phonon renormalization.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Incipient ionic conductors: Ion-constrained lattices achieving superionic-like thermal conductivity by extreme anharmonicity

Phonon liquid-like thermal conduction in the solid state enables superionic conductors to serve as efficient thermoelectric device candidates. While liquid-like motion of ions effectively suppresses thermal conductivity (\kappa), their high mobility concurrently triggers material degradation due to undesirable ion migration and consequent metal deposition, making it still a challenge to balancing low \kappa and high stability. Here, we report a superionic-like thermal transport alongside restricted long-range ion migration in CsCu_2I_3 with incipient ionic conduction, using synchrotron X-ray diffraction, inelastic X-ray scattering, and machine-learning potential-based simulations. We reveal that the Cu ions exhibit confined migration between CuI_4 tetrahedra at high temperatures, displaying extreme anharmonicity of dominated phonons beyond conventional rattling and comparable to that in superionic conductorsl. Consequently, a glass-like \kappa (~0.3 W m^{-1} K^{-1} at 300 K) following the relationship of \kappa ~ T^{0.17}, was achieved along the x-direction, where Cu ion migration is three oders of magnitude lower than in superionic conductors. These results highlight the advantage of incipient ionic conductors in simultaneously maintaining both low \kappa and high stability, elucidate the thermal transport mechanism via ion migration constraints, and pave an effective pathway toward ultralow thermal conductivity in ionic conductors.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Charge Density Fluctuations with Enhanced Superconductivity at the Proposed Nematic Quantum Critical Point

A quantum critical point (QCP) represents a continuous phase transition at absolute zero. At the QCP of an unconventional superconductor, enhanced superconducting transition temperature and magnetic fluctuations strength are often observed together, indicating magnetism-mediated superconductivity. This raises the question of whether quantum fluctuations in other degrees of freedom, such as charge, could similarly boost superconductivity. However, because charge is frequently intertwined with magnetism, isolating and understanding its specific role in Cooper pair formation poses a significant challenge. Here, we report persistent charge density fluctuations (CDF) down to 15 K in the non-magnetic superconductor Sr$_{0.77}$Ba$_{0.23}$Ni$_{2}$As$_{2}$, which lies near a proposed nematic QCP associated with a six-fold enhancement of superconductivity. Our results show that the quasi-elastic CDF does not condense into resolution-limited Bragg peaks and displays non-saturated strength. The CDF completely softens at 25 K, with its critical behavior described by the same mathematical framework as the antiferromagnetic Fermi liquid model, yielding a fitted Curie-Weiss temperature of $\theta \approx 0$ K. Additionally, we find that the nematic fluctuations are not lattice-driven, as evidenced by the absence of softening in nematic-coupled in-plane transverse acoustic phonons. Our discovery positions Sr$_{x}$Ba$_{1-x}$Ni$_{2}$As$_{2}$ as a promising candidate for charge-fluctuation-driven nematicity and superconductivity.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2023

Competing charge-density wave instabilities in the kagome metal ScV$_6$Sn$_6$

Owing to its unique geometry, the kagome lattice hosts various many-body quantum states including frustrated magnetism, superconductivity, and charge-density waves (CDWs), with intense efforts focused on kagome metals exhibiting $2\times2$ CDWs associated with the nesting of van Hove saddle points. Recently, a $\sqrt{3}\times\sqrt{3}$ CDW was discovered in the kagome metal ScV$_6$Sn$_6$ below $T_{\rm CDW}\approx91$~K, whose underlying mechanism and formation process remain unclear. Using inelastic X-ray scattering, we discover a short-range $\sqrt{3}\times\sqrt{3}\times2$ CDW that is dominant in ScV$_6$Sn$_6$ well above $T_{\rm CDW}$, distinct from the $\sqrt{3}\times\sqrt{3}\times3$ CDW below $T_{\rm CDW}$. The short-range CDW grows upon cooling, and is accompanied by the softening of phonons, indicative of its dynamic nature. As the $\sqrt{3}\times\sqrt{3}\times3$ CDW appears, the short-range CDW becomes suppressed, revealing a competition between these CDW instabilities. Our first-principles calculations indicate that the $\sqrt{3}\times\sqrt{3}\times2$ CDW is energetically favored, consistent with experimental observations at high temperatures. However, the $\sqrt{3}\times\sqrt{3}\times3$ CDW is selected as the ground state likely due to a large wavevector-dependent electron-phonon coupling, which also accounts for the enhanced electron scattering above $T_{\rm CDW}$. The competing CDW instabilities in ScV$_6$Sn$_6$ lead to an unusual CDW formation process, with the most pronounced phonon softening and the static CDW occurring at different wavevectors.

cond-mat.str-el↗