arXiv subjects

Tian Qian

Publications and source records attributed to Tian Qian.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Real-space identification of distinct magnetic configurations in a candidate d-wave altermagnet

Altermagnetism is an emerging class of magnetic order characterized by momentum-dependent spin-split electronic structures despite vanishing net magnetization. Although momentum-space signatures consistent with altermagnetism have been reported in a growing number of materials, their relationship to the underlying real-space magnetic configurations remains incompletely understood, because similar spin-split electronic structures can arise from distinct magnetic orders. In the candidate d-wave altermagnet KV2Se2O, the magnetic origin of the observed momentum-dependent spin splitting has remained controversial. Here, we employ spin-polarized scanning tunnelling microscopy combined with magnetic-field-dependent quasiparticle interference imaging to determine the magnetic configuration of KV2Se2O at the atomic scale. Spin-resolved quasiparticle interference reveals a checkerboard-like antiparallel spin texture within the V2O layer and determines its interlayer spin arrangement across unit-cell step edges. Remarkably, we identify both C-type and G-type magnetic configurations, both of which generate similar spin-split electronic structures at the single-layer level but correspond to d-wave altermagnetic and conventional antiferromagnetic orders, respectively. These observations reveal a complex magnetic landscape arising from nearly degenerate magnetic states. Our results establish a direct connection between momentum-space spin splitting and real-space magnetic order, providing a framework for identifying the microscopic origin of spin-split electronic structures in altermagnetic materials.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2026

Anomalous charge density wave in a two-dimensional superatomic superconductor

The spatial modulation of electron density into a wave-like pattern, known as charge density wave (CDW), represents a fundamental quantum state that often coexists with superconductivity, quantum Hall states, axion insulating phases and etc. Conventional CDWs are mediated by longitudinal acoustic phonons, exhibit picometer-scale lattice distortions ($10^{-12}$--$10^{-11}$ m), and typically vanish approaching the atomic limit. Here, we report a series of anomalous CDW behaviors in the 2D superatomic superconductor Au$_6$Te$_{12}$Se$_8$. Remarkably, its CDW is governed by transverse phonons, accompanied by an extraordinarily high real-space displacement of $\sim 4$ \AA ngstr\"om. Furthermore, we observe an exotic dimensional response persisting up to micrometer-scale thickness, a regime where other materials are already considered as bulk. Through liquid helium-temperature transmission electron microscopy, ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy and transport measurements, we demonstrate a dramatic enhancement of the CDW transition temperature ($T_{\text{CDW}}$) from $<2$ K in the bulk to 110 K in approaching the ``superatomic limit''. Our findings not only reveal novel facets of both CDW and superatomic materials, but the competition between this anomalous CDW and superconductivity opens avenues for exploring unconventional electron-phonon interactions.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2026

Curvature-driven revival of charge density waves in non-Euclidean space

Strongly correlated quantum states, such as charge density waves (CDWs), are exquisitely sensitive to Fermi surface topology and lattice symmetry, and are typically quenched by heavy carrier doping. In two-dimensional (2D) systems, however, macroscopic geometric curvature emerges as a novel structural degree of freedom to modulate microscopic quantum coherence. This raises a compelling physical question: can non-Euclidean geometric deformations compete with extreme electronic perturbations to reshape, or even revive, a quenched macroscopic quantum order? Here, by constructing monolayer TiSe$_2$-NbSe$_2$ heterostructure on a BLG/SiC substrate for the first time, we report the curvature-driven revival of a frustrated charge order in a non-Euclidean space. Low-temperature angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) reveals a massive interfacial charge transfer, which destroys the global Fermi surface nesting and completely suppresses the long-range CDW order in Euclidean flat regions. Strikingly, high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) reveals that a novel, non-linear CDW state miraculously survives, remaining strictly localized within morphologically distorted, non-Euclidean nanoscale curved regions. Atomistic simulations unravel the structural origin of this phenomenon, demonstrating that interfacial twist and lattice mismatch spontaneously generate a corrugated superlattice.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2026

Double-Carrier Fitting of Hall Resistance Assisted by Gate-Induced Shubnikov-de Haas Oscillations in Possible Excitonic Insulator Ta2Pd3Te5

Hall effect is an important phenomenon when a magnetic field is applied to materials. From the curve depicting the Hall resistance versus the magnetic field, crucial information such as carrier concentration can be extracted. If the curve exhibits a linear dependence up to rather high magnetic fields, it indicates that charge transport involves only a single type of carrier, and if a non-linear curve is measured, then the double-carrier model should be considered for fitting. However, this model involves four unknown parameters, including the concentration and mobility of the two carriers, resulting in that such fitting is usually non-unique, which significantly reduces the reliability and accuracy. In this work, a double-carrier platform was constructed on a probable excitonic insulator Ta2Pd3Te5, and the four-parameter fitting based on the double-carrier model was simplified to a single-parameter fitting by employing methods such as analyzing the shape of the Hall resistance curve and generating gate-induced Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations. Thus, we provide a reliable method for double-carrier fitting of Hall resistance and a new evidence for the existence of excitonic-insulator state in Ta2Pd3Te5.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2026

Three-dimensional topological insulator feature of ternary chalcogenide Ge2Bi2Te5

The exploration of novel topological insulators (TIs) beyond binary chalcogenides has been accelerated in pursuit of exotic quantum states and device applications. Here, the layered ternary chalcogenide Ge2Bi2Te5 is identified as a three-dimensional TI. The bulk electronic structure of Ge2Bi2Te5 features a hole-type Fermi surface at Fermi level EF, which dominates the transport properties. Moreover, an unoccupied topological surface state with a Dirac point located at 290 meV above EF has been observed. Theoretical calculations confirm a bulk bandgap and a nontrivial Z2 topological invariant (000;1). The present study demonstrates that the material family of layered tetradymite-like ternary compounds is an important platform to explore exotic topological phenomena.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Nonvolatile photoswitching of a Mott state via reversible stacking rearrangement

Nonvolatile control of the Mott transition is a central goal in correlated-electron physics, offering access to fascinating emergent states and great potential for technological applications. Compared to chemical or mechanical approaches, ultrafast optical excitation further promises a path to create and manipulate novel non-equilibrium phases with ultimate spatiotemporal precision. However, achieving a truly nonvolatile electronic phase transition in laser-excited Mott systems remains an elusive challenge. Here, we present a highly robust and reversible method for optical control of the Mott state in van der Waals systems. Specifically, using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we observe a nonvolatile Mott-to-metallic transition in the ultrafast laser-excited charge density wave (CDW) material 1T-TaSe2. Complementary theoretical calculations reveal that this transition originates from a rearrangement of the interlayer CDW stacking. This new stacking order, formed following the ultrafast quenching of the CDW, circumvents the need for large-scale atomic sliding. Intriguingly, it introduces a significant in-plane component to the electron hopping and effectively reduces the ratio of on-site Coulomb interaction to bandwidth, thereby suppressing the Mott state and stabilizing a metallic phase. Our results establish optical-control of interlayer stacking as a versatile strategy for inducing nonvolatile phase transitions, opening a new route to tailor correlated electronic phases and realize reconfigurable high-frequency devices.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Relationship among Structural, Disordered, Magnetism and Band Topology in MnSb2Te4(Sb2Te3)n Family

Interplay between topology and magnetism induces various exotic quantum phenomena, with magnetic topological insulators (MTIs) serving as a prominent example due to their ability to host the quantum anomalous Hall effect (QAHE). However, the realization of QAHE at higher temperature approaching magnetic-transition-temperature remains a significant challenge, primarily due to the scarcity of suitable material platforms and limited understanding of the intricate relationships between band topology, magnetism, and defects. Here, we report a comprehensive investigation of MnSb2Te4(Sb2Te3)n (n = 0 - 5) single crystals, including the discovery of novel MnSb8Te13 pure phase. Experimental measurements confirm that MnSb8Te13 exhibits ferromagnetism and features topologically nontrivial electronic structures, characterized by a Dirac point located further from the conduction band and a possible larger bulk gap compared to MnBi2Te4(Bi2Te3)n (n = 0 - 3). Moreover, we systematically analyze the relationship between structure, magnetism, topology, and disorder within Mn(Sb, Bi)2Te4((Sb, Bi)2Te3)n family. Present work will shed light on the exploration of potential platforms capable of achieving QAHE near magnetic transition temperature, offering new directions for advancing topological quantum materials.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

Magnetic-Field Control of Tomonaga-Luttinger Liquids in Ta2Pd3Te5 Edge States

Ta2Pd3Te5 is a quasi-one-dimensional transition-metal telluride whose heavy atoms endow the material with strong spin-orbit coupling, while the Fermi level inside the bulk gap makes the low-energy electronic structure highly tunable.Theory and early experiments have already identified a wealth of emergent phases in this platform: an excitonic insulator driven by electron-hole binding, a second-order topological insulator protected by crystalline symmetry, a potential topological-protected quantum-spin-Hall edge, and proximity-induced edge supercurrents when coupled to a conventional s-wave superconductor. These properties make it a promising platform for hosting Majorana zero modes and quantum computation, provided that time-reversal symmetry can be broken by a Zeeman gap. In this work, we demonstrate that the one-dimensional edge channels of exfoliated Ta2Pd3Te5 host a robust and tunable Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid by electrostatic gating because it shifts the chemical potential across the bulk gap without changing the gap size. More importantly, the application of a magnetic field introduces a Zeeman gap that systematically increases the TLL power-law exponent alpha. Furthermore, rotating the field reveals a pronounced twofold anisotropy--alpha is maximal for a field parallel to the edge and minimal for a perpendicular orientation--originating from an orientation-dependent edge g-factor that is likely amplified by quantum-confinement-induced orbital-angular-moment quenching. The existence of gate-tunable edge supercurrents together with the field-controlled Zeeman gap provides a direct route to break time-reversal symmetry in a particle-hole-symmetric superconducting gap and thus to engineer a topological superconducting phase, paving the way towards Majorana-based quantum devices.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Pronounced orbital-selective electron-electron correlation and electron-phonon coupling in V2Se2O

Orbital-selective many-body effects, in which electrons occupying different orbitals experience distinct interaction strengths, play a crucial role in correlated multiorbital materials. However, these effects usually manifest in a complex manner, obscuring their microscopic origins. Here, by combining angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements with theoretical calculations, we reveal pronounced orbital selectivity in both electron-electron correlation and electron-phonon coupling in the van der Waals material V2Se2O. Electron correlation induces distinct bandwidth renormalization exclusively in the V d_xy-derived band, while the bands mainly composed of the other d orbitals remain essentially unrenormalized. Orbital-resolved analyses identify that the filling number and the bandwidth are decisive factors governing orbital-dependent correlation. Simultaneously, the d_(xz/yz)-derived band exhibits a sharp kink anomaly, arising from enhanced coupling to high-energy phonon modes dominated by oxygen vibrations. Such pronounced orbital selectivity positions V2Se2O as a rare and prototypical platform for unravelling the microscopic mechanisms of orbital-selective electron-electron and electron-phonon interactions, and offers guiding principles for the design of correlated multiorbital materials.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Charge-polarized superconducting state emerging in a superatomic antipolar metal

The simultaneous presence of polarity and metallicity or superconductivity in a material signifies the exotic polar metallic or superconducting (SC) state, while such materials are extremely rare due to their exclusive nature. Recently, the interweaved CDW and antipolar charge orders have been discovered in a metallic superatomic crystal of Au6Te12Se8 (ATS), while their interplay and competition with the following emergent SC state remains elusive. Here, we report a further experimental investigation of the SC state emerged from the preformed CDW and antipolar order states using scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy in combination with transport and Raman measurements. The temperature-dependent pre-formation and condensation of Cooper pairs are experimentally identified. The pre-existent CDW is gradually suppressed by the preformed Cooper pairs, and then the antipolar charge order is spatially suppressed into a ferrielectric-like polar order by the condensed Cooper pairs of SC state. The exotic charge-polarized superconducting state is discovered in the polar metal of ATS, suggesting a valuable platform for the exploration of intriguing polar superconducting properties.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy of superconducting (La,Pr)3Ni2O7/SrLaAlO4 heterostructures

Ruddlesden-Popper bilayer nickelate thin film superconductors discovered under ambient pressure enable vast possibilities for investigating electronic structures of the superconducting state. Here, we report angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) measurements of 1, 2, and 3 unit-cell epitaxial La2.85Pr0.15Ni2O7 films grown on SrLaAlO4 substates, through pure-oxygen in situ sample transportation. Evidence obtained using photons with distinct probing depths shows that conduction is localized primarily at the first unit cell near the interface. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), together with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), indicates that interfacial Sr diffusion and pronounced p-d hybridization gradient may collectively account for the interfacial confinement of conduction. Fermi surface maps reveal hole doping compared to non-superconducting ambient-pressure bulk crystals. Measurements of dispersive band structures suggest the contributions from both Ni dx2-y2 and dz2 orbitals at the Fermi level. Density functional theory (DFT) + U calculations capture qualitative features of the ARPES results, consistent with a hole-doped scenario. These findings constrain theoretical models of the superconducting mechanism and suggest potential for enhancing superconductivity in nickelates under ambient pressure.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2024

Interfering Josephson diode effect in Ta2Pd3Te5 asymmetric edge interferometer

Edge states in topological systems have attracted great interest due to their robustness and linear dispersions. Here a superconducting-proximitized edge interferometer is engineered on a topological insulator Ta2Pd3Te5 with asymmetric edges to realize the interfering Josephson diode effect (JDE), which hosts many advantages, such as the high efficiency as much as 73% at tiny applied magnetic fields with an ultra-low switching power around picowatt. As an important element to induce such JDE, the second-order harmonic in the current-phase relation is also experimentally confirmed by half-integer Shapiro steps. The interfering JDE is also accompanied by the antisymmetric second harmonic transport, which indicates the corresponding asymmetry in the interferometer, as well as the polarity of JDE. This edge interferometer offers an effective method to enhance the performance of JDE, and boosts great potential applications for future superconducting quantum devices.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Discovery of a metallic room-temperature d-wave altermagnet KV2Se2O

Beyond conventional ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism, altermagnetism is a recently discovered unconventional magnetic phase characterized by time-reversal symmetry breaking and spin-split band structures in materials with zero net magnetization. This distinct magnetic phase not only enriches the understanding of fundamental physical concepts but also has profound impacts on condense-matter physics research and practical device applications. Spin-polarized band structures have been recently observed in semiconductors MnTe and MnTe2 with vanishing net magnetization, confirming the existence of this unconventional magnetic order. Metallic altermagnets have unique advantages for exploring novel physical phenomena related to low-energy quasiparticle excitations and for applications in spintronics as electrical conductivity in metals allows the direct manipulation of spin current through electric field. Here, through comprehensive characterization and analysis of the magnetic and electronic structures of KV2Se2O, we have unambiguously demonstrated a metallic room-temperature altermaget with d-wave spin-momentum locking. The highly anisotropic spin-polarized Fermi surfaces and the spin-density-wave order emerging in the altermagnetic phase make it an extraordinary platform for designing high-performance spintronic devices and studying many-body effects coupled with the unconventional magnetism.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Ta2Pd3Te5 topological thermometer

In recent decades, there has been a persistent pursuit of applications for surface/edge states in topological systems, driven by their dissipationless transport effects. However, there have been limited tangible breakthroughs in this field. This work demonstrates the remarkable properties of the topological insulator Ta2Pd3Te5, as a thermometer. This material exhibits a power-law correlation in temperature-dependent resistance at low temperatures, stemming from its Luttinger liquid behavior of edge states, while exhibiting semiconductor behavior at high temperatures. The power-law behavior effectively addresses the issue of infinite resistance in semiconductor thermometers at ultra-low temperatures, thereby playing a crucial role in enabling efficient thermometry in refrigerators supporting millikelvin temperatures or below. By employing chemical doping, adjusting thickness, and controlling gate voltage, its power-law behavior and semiconductor behavior can be effectively modulated. This enables efficient thermometry spanning from millikelvin temperatures to room temperature, and allows for precise local temperature measurement. Furthermore, this thermometer exhibits excellent temperature sensitivity and resolution, and can be fine-tuned to show small magnetoresistance. In summary, the Ta2Pd3Te5 thermometer, also referred to as a topological thermometer, exhibits outstanding performance and significant potential for measuring a wider range of temperatures compared to conventional low-temperature thermometers.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Orbital-Dependent Electron Correlation in Double-Layer Nickelate La3Ni2O7

The latest discovery of high temperature superconductivity near 80K in La3Ni2O7 under high pressure has attracted much attention. Many proposals are put forth to understand the origin of superconductivity.The determination of electronic structures is a prerequisite to establish theories to understand superconductivity in nickelates but is still lacking. Here we report our direct measurement of the electronic structures of La3Ni2O7 by high-resolution angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy. The Fermi surface and band structures of La3Ni2O7 are observed and compared with the band structure calculations. Strong electron correlations are revealed which are orbital- and momentum dependent. A flat band is formed from the Ni-3dz2 orbitals around the zone corner which is ~50meV below the Fermi level and exhibits the strongest electron correlation. In many theoretical proposals, this band is expected to play the dominant role in generating superconductivity in La3Ni2O7. Our observations provide key experimental information to understand the electronic structure and origin of high temperature superconductivity in La3Ni2O7.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2024

Nonvolatile optical control of interlayer stacking order in 1T-TaS2

Nonvolatile optical manipulation of material properties on demand is a highly sought-after feature in the advancement of future optoelectronic applications. While the discovery of such metastable transition in various materials holds good promise for achieving this goal, their practical implementation is still in the nascent stage. Here, we unravel the nature of the ultrafast laser-induced hidden state in 1T-TaS2 by systematically characterizing the electronic structure evolution throughout the reversible transition cycle. We identify it as a mixed-stacking state involving two similarly low-energy interlayer orders, which is manifested as the charge density wave phase disruption. Furthermore, our comparative experiments utilizing the single-pulse writing, pulse-train erasing and pulse-pair control explicitly reveal the distinct mechanism of the bidirectional transformations -- the ultrafast formation of the hidden state is initiated by a coherent phonon which triggers a competition of interlayer stacking orders, while its recovery to the initial state is governed by the progressive domain coarsening. Our work highlights the deterministic role of the competing interlayer orders in the nonvolatile phase transition in the layered material 1T-TaS2, and promises the coherent control of the phase transition and switching speed. More importantly, these results establish all-optical engineering of stacking orders in low-dimensional materials as a viable strategy for achieving desirable nonvolatile electronic devices.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

A robust and tunable Luttinger liquid in correlated edge of transition-metal second-order topological insulator Ta$_2$Pd$_3$Te$_5$

The interplay between topology and interaction always plays an important role in condensed matter physics and induces many exotic quantum phases, while rare transition metal layered material (TMLM) has been proved to possess both. Here we report a TMLM Ta$_2$Pd$_3$Te$_5$ has the two-dimensional second-order topology (also a quadrupole topological insulator) with correlated edge states - Luttinger liquid. It is ascribed to the unconventional nature of the mismatch between charge- and atomic- centers induced by a remarkable double-band inversion. This one-dimensional protected edge state preserves the Luttinger liquid behavior with robustness and universality in scale from micro- to macro- size, leading to a significant anisotropic electrical transport through two-dimensional sides of bulk materials. Moreover, the bulk gap can be modulated by the thickness, resulting in an extensive-range phase diagram for Luttinger liquid. These provide an attractive model to study the interaction and quantum phases in correlated topological systems.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Spontaneous gap opening and potential excitonic states in an ideal Dirac semimetal Ta$_2$Pd$_3$Te$_5$

The opening of an energy gap in the electronic structure generally indicates the presence of interactions. In materials with low carrier density and short screening length, long-range Coulomb interaction favors the spontaneous formation of electron-hole pairs, so-called excitons, opening an excitonic gap at the Fermi level. Excitonic materials host unique phenomenons associated with pair excitations. However, there is still no generally recognized single-crystal material with excitonic order, which is, therefore, awaited in condensed matter physics. Here, we show that excitonic states may exist in the quasi-one-dimensional material Ta$_2$Pd$_3$Te$_5$, which has an almost ideal Dirac-like band structure, with Dirac point located exactly at Fermi level. We find that an energy gap appears at 350 K, and it grows with decreasing temperature. The spontaneous gap opening is absent in a similar material Ta$_2$Ni$_3$Te$_5$. Intriguingly, the gap is destroyed by the potassium deposition on the crystal, likely due to extra-doped carriers. Furthermore, we observe a pair of in-gap flat bands, which is an analog of the impurity states in a superconducting gap. All these observations can be properly explained by an excitonic order, providing Ta$_2$Pd$_3$Te$_5$ as a new and promising candidate realizing excitonic states.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗