arXiv subjects

W. N. Hardy

Publications and source records attributed to W. N. Hardy.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2014

Competing charge, spin, and superconducting orders in underdoped YBa2Cu3Oy

To explore the doping dependence of the recently discovered charge density wave (CDW) order in YBa2Cu3Oy, we present a bulk-sensitive high-energy x-ray study for several oxygen concentrations, including strongly underdoped YBa2Cu3O6.44. Combined with previous data around the so-called 1/8 doping, we show that bulk CDW order exists at least for hole concentrations (p) in the CuO2 planes of 0.078 <~ p <~ 0.132. This implies that CDW order exists in close vicinity to the quantum critical point for spin density wave (SDW) order. In contrast to the pseudogap temperature T*, the onset temperature of CDW order decreases with underdoping to T_CDW ~ 90K in YBa2Cu3O6.44. Together with a weakened order parameter this suggests a competition between CDW and SDW orders. In addition, the CDW order in YBa2Cu3O6.44 shows the same type of competition with superconductivity as a function of temperature and magnetic field as samples closer to p = 1/8. At low p the CDW incommensurability continues the previously reported linear increasing trend with underdoping. In the entire doping range the in-plane correlation length of the CDW order in b-axis direction depends only very weakly on the hole concentration, and appears independent of the type and correlation length of the oxygen-chain order. The onset temperature of the CDW order is remarkably close to a temperature T^\dagger that marks the maximum of 1/(T_1T) in planar 63^Cu NQR/NMR experiments, potentially indicating a response of the spin dynamics to the formation of the CDW. Our discussion of these findings includes a detailed comparison to the charge stripe order in La2-xBaxCuO4.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2014

In situ electromagnetic field diagnostics with an electron plasma in a Penning-Malmberg trap

We demonstrate a novel detection method for the cyclotron resonance frequency of an electron plasma in a Penning-Malmberg trap. With this technique, the electron plasma is used as an in situ diagnostic tool for measurement of the static magnetic field and the microwave electric field in the trap. The cyclotron motion of the electron plasma is excited by microwave radiation and the temperature change of the plasma is measured non-destructively by monitoring the plasma's quadrupole mode frequency. The spatially-resolved microwave electric field strength can be inferred from the plasma temperature change and the magnetic field is found through the cyclotron resonance frequency. These measurements were used extensively in the recently reported demonstration of resonant quantum interactions with antihydrogen.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2014

Sign inversion in the superconducting order parameter of LiFeAs inferred from Bogoliubov quasiparticle interference

Quasiparticle interference (QPI) by means of scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS), angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), and multi-orbital tight bind- ing calculations are used to investigate the band structure and superconducting order parameter of LiFeAs. Using this combination we identify intra- and interband scattering vectors between the hole (h) and electron (e) bands in the QPI maps. Discrepancies in the band dispersions inferred from previous ARPES and STM/STS are reconciled by recognizing a difference in the $k_z$ sensitivity for the two probes. The observation of both h-h and e-h scattering is exploited using phase-sensitive scattering selection rules for Bogoliubov quasiparticles. From this we infer an s$_\pm$ gap structure, where a sign change occurs in the superconducting order parameter between the e and h bands.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2014

Direct measurement of the upper critical field in a cuprate superconductor

The upper critical field Hc2 is a fundamental measure of the pairing strength, yet there is no agreement on its magnitude and doping dependence in cuprate superconductors. We have used thermal conductivity as a direct probe of Hc2 in the cuprates YBa2Cu3Oy and YBa2Cu4O8 to show that there is no vortex liquid at T = 0, allowing us to use high-field resistivity measurements to map out the doping dependence of Hc2 across the phase diagram. Hc2(p) exhibits two peaks, each located at a critical point where the Fermi surface undergoes a transformation. The condensation energy obtained directly from Hc2, and previous Hc1 data, undergoes a 20-fold collapse below the higher critical point. These data provide quantitative information on the impact of competing phases in suppressing superconductivity in cuprates.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2014

Disorder induced power-law response of a superconducting vortex on a plane

We report drive-response experiments on individual superconducting vortices on a plane, a realization for a 1+1-dimensional directed polymer in random media. For this we use magnetic force microscopy (MFM) to image and manipulate individual vortices trapped on a twin boundary in YBCO near optimal doping. We find that when we drag a vortex with the magnetic tip it moves in a series of jumps. As theory suggests the jump-size distribution does not depend on the applied force and is consistent with power-law behavior. The measured power is much larger than widely accepted theoretical calculations.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2013

Microwave conductivity and superfluid density in strongly overdoped Tl2201

We present measurements of the microwave surface impedance of the single-layer cuprate Tl2201, deep in the overdoped regime, with Tc ~ 25 K. Measurements have been made using cavity perturbation of a dielectric resonator at 17 discrete frequencies ranging from 2.50 to 19.16 GHz, and at temperatures from 0.12 to 27.5 K. From the surface impedance we obtain the microwave conductivity, penetration depth and superfluid density. The superfluid density displays a strong linear temperature dependence from 2 to 14 K, indicative of line nodes in the energy gap. The microwave data are compared with theoretical predictions for a d-wave superconductor with point-like impurities, with the conclusion that disorder in Tl2201 acts predominantly in the weak-to-intermediate-strength scattering regime, and that small-angle scattering is important.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2013

Lattice dynamical signature of charge density wave formation in underdoped YBa2Cu3O6+x

We report a detailed Raman scattering study of the lattice dynamics in detwinned single crystals of the underdoped high temperature superconductor YBa2Cu3O6+x (x=0.75, 0.6, 0.55 and 0.45). Whereas at room temperature the phonon spectra of these compounds are similar to that of optimally doped YBa2Cu3O6.99, additional Raman-active modes appear upon cooling below ~170-200 K in underdoped crystals. The temperature dependence of these new features indicates that they are associated with the incommensurate charge density wave state recently discovered using synchrotron x-ray scattering techniques on the same single crystals. Raman scattering has thus the potential to explore the evolution of this state under extreme conditions.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2013

An inelastic x-ray study of phonon broadening and charge density wave formation in ortho-II ordered YBa2Cu3O6.54

Inelastic x-ray scattering is used to investigate charge density wave (CDW) formation and the low-energy lattice dynamics of the underdoped high temperature superconductor ortho-II YBa2Cu3O6.54. We find that, for a temperature ~1/3 of the CDW onset temperature (~155 K), the CDW order is static within the resolution of the experiment, that is the inverse lifetime is less than 0.3 meV. In the same temperature region, low-energy phonons near the ordering wavevector of the CDW show large increases in their linewidths. This contrasts with the usual behavior in CDW systems where the phonon anomalies are strongest near the CDW onset temperature

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2013

Emergence of charge order from the vortex state of a high temperature superconductor

Evidence is mounting that charge order competes with superconductivity in high Tc cuprates. Whether this has any relationship to the pairing mechanism is unknown since neither the universality of the competition nor its microscopic nature has been established. Here using nuclear magnetic resonance, we show that, similar to La214, charge order in YBCO has maximum strength inside the superconducting dome, at doping levels p = 0.11 - 0.12.We further show that the overlap of halos of incipient charge order around vortex cores, similar to those visualised in Bi2212, can explain the threshold magnetic field at which long-range charge order emerges. These results reveal universal features of a competition in which charge order and superconductivity appear as joint instabilities of the same normal state, whose relative balance can be field-tuned in the vortex state.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2013

Bounding the pseudogap with a line of phase transitions in YBCO cuprate superconductors

Close to optimal doping, the copper oxide superconductors show 'strange metal' behavior, suggestive of strong fluctuations associated with a quantum critical point. Such a critical point requires a line of classical phase transitions terminating at zero temperature near optimal doping inside the superconducting 'dome'. The underdoped region of the temperature-doping phase diagram from which superconductivity emerges is referred to as the 'pseudogap' because evidence exists for partial gapping of the conduction electrons, but so far there is no compelling thermodynamic evidence as to whether the pseudogap is a distinct phase or a continuous evolution of physical properties on cooling. Here we report that the pseudogap in YBCO cuprate superconductors is a distinct phase, bounded by a line of phase transitions. The doping dependence of this line is such that it terminates at zero temperature inside the superconducting dome. From this we conclude that quantum criticality drives the strange metallic behavior and therefore superconductivity in the cuprates.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2013

Microwave spectroscopy of vortex dynamics in ortho-II YBa2Cu3O6.52

We present measurements of the vortex-state surface impedance, Z_s = R_s + i X_s, of a high quality, ortho-II-ordered single crystal of the cuprate high temperature superconductor YBa2Cu3O6.52 (T_c = 59K). Measurements have been made at four microwave frequencies (ω/2π= 2.64, 4.51, 9.12 and 13.97 GHz), for magnetic fields ranging from 0 to 7 T. From these data we obtain the field, frequency and temperature dependence of the vortex viscosity, pinning constant, depinning frequency and flux-flow resistivity. The vortex viscosity, η(ω,T), has a surprisingly strong frequency dependence and bears a striking resemblance to the zero-field quasiparticle conductivity, σ_qp(ω,T), suggesting that the dominant dissipative mechanism for the flux lines is induced electric fields coupling to bulk, long-lived d-wave quasiparticles outside the vortex cores. This is in sharp contrast to the conventional Bardeen-Stephen picture, in which dissipation takes place inside quasi-normal vortex cores. The strong frequency dependence of the vortex viscosity in the microwave range requires us to treat it as a complex response function, with an imaginary part that is predicted to contribute to the apparent pinning force on the vortices. Measurements of the frequency dependence of the pinning force confirm that this term is present, and in a form consistent with the requirements of causality. At low temperatures the flux-flow resistivity, ρ_ff \propto 1/η, has the form ρ_ff(T) = ρ_0 + ρ_1 \ln(1/T), reminiscent of the DC resistivity of cuprates in the pseudogap regime.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2013

A new collective mode in YBCO observed by time-domain reflectometry

We report the observation of coherent oscillations associated with charge density wave (CDW) order in the underdoped cuprate superconductor YBa2Cu3O6+x by time-resolved optical reflectivity. Oscillations with frequency 1.87 THz onset at approximately 105 K and 130 K for dopings of x = 0.67 (ortho-VIII) and x = 0.75 (ortho-III), respectively. Upon cooling below the superconducting critical temperature (T_c), the oscillation amplitude is enhanced, the phase shifts by π, and the frequency softens by δν/ ν~7%. A bi-quadratically coupled Landau-Ginzburg model qualitatively describes this behavior as arising from competition between superconducting and CDW orders.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2013

X-ray diffraction observation of charge density wave order at zero magnetic field in ortho-II YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6.54}$

X-ray diffraction measurements show that the high-temperature superconductor YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6.54}$, with ortho-II oxygen order, has charge density wave order (CDW) in the absence of an applied magnetic field. The dominant wavevector of the CDW is $\mathbf{q}_{\mathrm{CDW}} = (0, 0.328(2), 0.5)$, with the in-plane component parallel to the $\mathbf{b}$-axis (chain direction). It has a similar incommensurability to that observed in ortho-VIII and ortho-III samples, which have different dopings and oxygen orderings. Our results for ortho-II contrast with recent high-field NMR measurements, which suggest a commensurate wavevector along the $\mathbf{a}$-axis. We discuss the relationship between spin and charge correlations in YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{y}$, and recent high-field quantum oscillation, NMR and ultrasound experiments.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2013

Dispersive spin excitations in highly overdoped cuprates revealed by resonant inelastic x-ray scattering

Using resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) at the Cu $L$-absorption edge, we have observed intense, dispersive spin excitations in highly overdoped Tl$_2$Ba$_2$CuO$_{6+δ}$ (superconducting $T_c =6$ K), a compound whose normal-state charge transport and thermodynamic properties have been studied extensively and shown to exhibit canonical Fermi-liquid behavior. Complementary RIXS experiments on slightly overdoped Tl$_2$Ba$_2$CuO$_{6+δ}$ ($T_c =89$ K) and on Y$_{1-x}$Ca$_{x}$Ba$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6+δ}$ compounds spanning a wide range of doping levels indicate that these excitations exhibit energies and energy-integrated spectral weights closely similar to those of antiferromagnetic magnons in undoped cuprates. The surprising coexistence of Fermi-liquid-like charge excitations and high-energy spin excitations reminiscent of antiferromagnetic insulators in highly overdoped compounds poses a challenge to current theoretical models of the cuprates.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2012

Vortex Lattice Melting and Hc2 in underdoped YBa2Cu3Oy

Vortices in a type-II superconductor form a lattice structure that melts when the thermal displacement of the vortices is an appreciable fraction of the distance between vortices. In an anisotropic high-Tc superconductor, such as YBa2Cu3Oy, the magnetic field value where this melting occurs can be much lower than the mean-field critical field Hc2. We examine this melting transition in YBa2Cu3Oy with oxygen content y from 6.45 to 6.92, and fit the data to a theory of vortex-lattice melting. The quality of the fits indicates that the transition to a resistive state is indeed the vortex lattice melting transition, with the shape of the melting curves being consistent with the known change in penetration depth anisotropy from underdoped to optimally doped YBa2Cu3Oy. From the fits we extract Hc2(T = 0) as a function of hole doping. The unusual doping dependence of Hc2(T =0) points to some form of electronic order competing with superconductivity around 0.12 hole doping.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2012

Thermodynamic phase diagram of static charge order in underdoped YBCO

The interplay between superconductivity and any other competing order is an essential part of the long-standing debate on the origin of high temperature superconductivity in cuprates. Akin to the situation of heavy fermions, organic superconductors and pnictides, it has been proposed that the pairing mechanism in cuprates comes from fluctuations of a nearby quantum phase transition. Recent evidence of charge modulation and the associated fluctuations in the pseudogap phase of YBa_2Cu_3O_y make charge order a likely candidate for a competing order. However, a thermodynamic signature of the charge ordering phase transition is still lacking. Moreover, whether such charge order is one- or two-dimensional is still controversial but pivotal for the understanding the topology of the reconstructed Fermi surface. Here we address both issues by measuring sound velocities in YBCO_6.55 in high magnetic fields, a powerful thermodynamic probe to detect phase transitions. We provide the first thermodynamic signature of the field-induced charge ordering phase transition in YBCO allowing construction of a field-temperature phase diagram, which reveals the competing nature of this charge order. The comparison of different acoustic modes indicates that the charge modulation has a two-dimensional character, thus imposing strong constraints on Fermi surface reconstruction scenarios.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2012

Distinct Charge Orders in the Planes and Chains of Ortho-III-Ordered YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6+δ}$ Superconductors Identified by Resonant Elastic X-ray Scattering

Recently, charge density wave (CDW) order in the CuO$_2$ planes of underdoped YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6+δ}$ was detected using resonant soft x-ray scattering. An important question remains: is the chain layer responsible for this charge ordering? Here, we explore the energy and polarization dependence of the resonant scattering intensity in a detwinned sample of YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6.75}$ with ortho-III oxygen ordering in the chain layer. We show that the ortho-III CDW order in the chains is distinct from the CDW order in the planes. The ortho-III structure gives rise to a commensurate superlattice reflection at $Q$=[0.33 0 $L$] whose energy and polarization dependence agrees with expectations for oxygen ordering and a spatial modulation of the Cu valence in the chains. Incommensurate peaks at [0.30 0 $L$] and [0 0.30 $L$] from the CDW order in the planes are shown to be distinct in $Q$ as well as their temperature, energy, and polarization dependence, and are thus unrelated to the structure of the chain layer. Moreover, the energy dependence of the CDW order in the planes is shown to result from a spatial modulation of energies of the Cu 2$p$ to 3$d_{x^2-y^2}$ transition, similar to stripe-ordered 214 cuprates.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2012

Bound States of Defects in Superconducting LiFeAs Studied by Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy

Defects in LiFeAs are studied by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and spectroscopy (STS). Topographic images of the five predominant defects allow the identification of their position within the lattice. The most commonly observed defect is associated with an Fe site and does not break the local lattice symmetry, exhibiting a bound state near the edge of the smaller gap in this multi-gap superconductor. Three other common defects, including one also on an Fe site, are observed to break local lattice symmetry and are pair-breaking indicated by clear in-gap bound states, in addition to states near the smaller gap edge. STS maps reveal complex, extended real-space bound state patterns, including one with a chiral distribution of the local density of states (LDOS). The multiple bound state resonances observed within the gaps and at the inner gap edge are consistent with theoretical predictions for s$^{\pm}$ gap symmetry proposed for LiFeAs and other iron pnictides.

cond-mat.supr-con↗