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Xianxin Wu

Publications and source records attributed to Xianxin Wu.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2026

Mode-selective phonon effects on magnetism and superconductivity in trilayer nickelates

The discovery of high-$T_c$ superconductivity in multilayer nickelates has stimulated intense interest, yet the microscopic origins of their correlated states remain debated. Recently the observed isotope effect of the magnetic state in trilayer nickelates highlights the important role of lattice vibrations in shaping these systems. Here, we investigate the impact of electron-phonon coupling (EPC) on magnetism and superconductivity in trilayer nickelates using ab initio and functional renormalization group calculations. We identify out-of-plane oxygen breathing modes with pronounced EPC and construct symmetry-resolved, layer-dependent couplings. Their relative phases across the three layers generate distinct retarded interactions, producing mode-selective enhancement or suppression of spin-density-wave order and $s_\pm$-wave superconductivity. This selectivity arises from screening-mediated spin-phonon interplay across a hierarchy of energy scales: EPC modifies charge screening at higher energies, reshapes magnetic fluctuations at lower energies, and ultimately influences pairing. Selected modes yield negative isotope coefficients for the magnetic state, qualitatively consistent with experiments. Our results establish how interlayer phonons modify electronically driven order and provide a microscopic framework for understanding isotope effects in trilayer nickelates.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2026

Competing Interlayer Loop Currents and Superconductivity in the Bilayer $t$-$J_\perp$-$V$ Model

The recent discovery of high-$T_c$ superconductivity in pressurized and thin-film bilayer nickelates, featuring a strong interlayer exchange coupling, and their potential similarities with cuprate superconductors, has made this a very active topic in condensed matter physics. In the present paper we study the strongly correlated one-orbital ($d_{x^2-y^2}$) bilayer $t$-$J_\perp$-$V$ model for nickelates, where $V$ denotes the Coulomb interactions, using a controlled large-$N$ expansion at and beyond the mean-field level. Focusing on the out-of-plane spin exchange interaction ($J_\perp$), we find that it triggers both out-of-plane $s$-wave superconductivity and an out-of-plane bond-order phase ($z$-BOP) instability. The $z$-BOP gives rise to a complex $z$-axis hopping dominated by its imaginary component, which drives out-of-plane currents and induces in-plane ones, spontaneously forming on the vertical plaquettes a loop-current state that breaks time-reversal symmetry. Competition between this loop-current phase and superconductivity yields a dome-shaped superconducting region, with optimal superconductivity occurring near the $z$-BOP quantum critical point. The resulting phase diagram features a pure loop-current region, a low-doping coexistence phase, a pure superconducting state at higher doping, and a correlated metallic state.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2026

Topological pair density waves in kagome superconductors

The pair density wave (PDW) is an unconventional superconducting state exhibiting periodic pairing modulations due to pairing with finite momentum Q. In two dimensions, multiple Q components of the PDW can have a non-trivial relative phase, breaking time-reversal symmetry and resulting in a topological electronic structure. Here we review progress on exploring such topological PDWs (TPDWs) and discuss their potential realization in kagome superconductors. We first introduce the concept of a TPDW starting from the Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) state and examine the challenges toward its realization. We then discuss the possibility of a TPDW in the kagome lattice, which intertwines with chiral superconductivity and loop currents, thus connecting to models describing the quantum anomalous Hall effect. Furthermore, we review the experimental signatures of a TPDW in AV3Sb5 (A = Cs, Rb, K) superconductors and highlight related quantum effects, including switchable chiral pairing modulations, Bogoliubov Fermi states, the superconducting diode effect, and the anomalous thermal Hall effect. Finally, we project the future research opportunities of this correlated topological quantum phase and discuss its broad implications for finite-momentum pairing, topological matter, and chiral superconductivity.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2026

Revealing Hidden Unconventional Pairing through Nonreciprocal Transport

Identifying the pairing symmetry of Cooper pairs is a fundamental step toward understanding the microscopic mechanisms of unconventional superconductors. However, experimental identification remains a formidable challenge, particularly when unconventional pairing is obscured by a dominant $s$-wave component that masks its spectroscopic signatures. Here, we develop a symmetry-resolved framework to identify superconducting pairing symmetry through nonreciprocal conductance upon exchanging source and detector terminals in multiterminal devices. We show that nonreciprocal transport arises from symmetry-breaking components of the superconducting order parameter and exhibits a characteristic angular dependence that encodes the momentum-space structure of the pairing gap. In particular, time-reversal-breaking singlet pairing induces nonreciprocal charge transport, while spin-triplet pairing generates nonreciprocal spin responses, providing distinct transport fingerprints of the underlying order. We demonstrate this mechanism using representative models of iron-based and noncentrosymmetric superconductors and outline experimental protocols for multiterminal measurements. Our results advance the theoretical understanding of nonreciprocal transport in superconductors, and establish it as a symmetry-selective probe for identifying hidden unconventional pairing in a wide range of superconducting materials.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2026

Multiorbital character of the density wave in trilayer nickelate superconductors

Ruddlesden-Popper nickelates exhibit high-temperature superconductivity closely intertwined with charge and spin density waves. However, fundamental questions persist regarding the interplay between the associated density wave (DW) fluctuations and superconductivity, as well as the orbital character and symmetry underlying the DW instabilities. Here we utilize polarized Raman scattering to investigate the phononic and electronic Raman responses of the trilayer nickelate La$_4$Ni$_3$O$_{10}$ across its concomitant charge and spin density wave transitions. In addition to distinct phonon anomalies occurring below the transition temperature, we observe a depletion of continuum spectral weight up to 114 meV and a pronounced peak centered at this energy. By combining momentum-selective information from polarized electronic Raman scattering with Raman-response model calculations based on a multiorbital Raman vertex in a reconstructed two-orbital DW state involving both Ni-3$d_{x^2 - y^2}$ and Ni-3$d_{z^2}$ orbitals, we identify 114 meV as the energy scale $2Δ_\mathrm{DW}$ of the DW gap, characterized by incoherent opening and non-mean-field behavior. Furthermore, the model calculations reveal that the corresponding $2Δ_\mathrm{DW}$ peak has a multiorbital origin, requiring both orbital contributions and their mixing beyond single-orbital projections, thus shedding light on the nature of the DW instabilities in La$_4$Ni$_3$O$_{10}$.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2026

Emergent $s+id$ Superconductivity from the Interplay between Electronic Correlations and Electron-Phonon Coupling in $\mathrm{R}_{1-x}\mathrm{Sr}_x\mathrm{NiO}_2$

Recent tunneling measurements on infinite-layer nickelates have revealed spatially varying superconducting symmetries, whose microscopic origin remains unclear. Motivated by this observation, we investigate the interplay between electron correlations and electron-phonon interactions in infinite-layer nickelates by combining first-principles calculations with the fluctuation-exchange-Migdal-Eliashberg theory. Our calculations show that spin fluctuations yield robust $d$-wave superconductivity on the Ni $d_{x^2-y^2}$ orbital, whereas electron-phonon coupling induces $s$-wave pairing on an interstitial orbital, leading to an $s+id$ superconducting state. The emergence of the $s$-wave component is strongly carrier-density dependent: an intermediate electron-phonon coupling of $λ=0.4$ stabilizes the $s+id$ state at $n=0.9$ but not at $n=0.8$. These results imply that local oxygen defects tune the local electron density and form finite-size domains with distinct pairing symmetries, offering a compelling explanation for the spatially inhomogeneous superconducting symmetries observed in experiments.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2026

Catalog of Altermagnetism in Magnetic Wallpaper/Space Groups and Nonsymmorphic Altermagnets

Conventional altermagnetism, characterized by compensated collinear spin alignment and spin splitting, exhibits identical spin states at opposite momenta. In this work, we employ a non-spatial global symmetry $S$, the spinless time-reversal symmetry, which effectively replaces inversion symmetry in preserving the spin-state equivalence; hence, we systematically extend the classification of altermagnetism to all possible non-centrosymmetric crystals. By analyzing the necessary symmetry conditions, we provide a complete catalog of altermagnetic orders for all 2D magnetic wallpaper groups and all 3D magnetic space groups, identifying 17 altermagnetic wallpaper groups (12 centrosymmetric and 5 non-centrosymmetric) and 422 altermagnetic space groups (160 centrosymmetric and 262 non-centrosymmetric). This catalog assigns each altermagnetic wallpaper and space group to one of the six altermagnetic wave types established in the literature and presents its distinct spin distribution in the Brillouin zone (BZ); notably, the low-energy wave-type description does not necessarily extend throughout the full BZ, since the spin-degenerate nodal lines and planes can be unpinned from the high-symmetry planes. Beyond the catalog, nonsymmorphic symmetries further bring new patterns of the altermagnetic BZs through the emergence of hourglass dispersions, which arise from the compatibility relations between two symmetry-protected degenerate manifolds: same-spin and opposite-spin degeneracies. In both the non-centrosymmetric altermagnetism and the emergence of the hourglass dispersion, the spinless time-reversal symmetry plays the key role. Our work extends the symmetry catalog of altermagnetism and reveals that nonsymmorphic symmetries are essential for realizing altermagnetic band structures beyond the six established wave types, such as an $i$-wave-like spin winding in a tetragonal BZ.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2026

Chiral-Structured Superconductors TrX4 (Tr = Rh, Ir; X = Ge, Si): A Platform for Mixed-Parity Pairing and Topological States

Chiral-structured superconductors, with simultaneous broken mirror and inversion symmetries, promote unconventional superconductivity through parity-mixing mechanisms. Yet a few bulk chiral-structured superconductors are known, partly due to the difficulty in directly determining their atomic-scale chirality. Here we report three chiral-structured superconductors, , RhGe4, IrGe4, and IrSi4, synthesized under high pressure, with Tc values of about 1.6 K, 1.1 K, and 2.5 K, respectively.Using atomic resolution Cs-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) combined with X-ray diffraction characterizations, we directly confirm their chiral structure (space group P3121). This real space imaging approach overcomes ambiguities in traditional diffraction based methods. These materials exhibit type-II superconductivity, and the enhancement of spin-orbit coupling (SOC) leads to the emergence of mixed parity pairing. Calculations also reveal symmetry protected Weyl points near the Fermi level, which is robust against the SOC. Our work not only expands the family of chiral-structured superconductors but also demonstrates the indispensable role of STEM in directly determining chiral crystal structures. These materials thus offer a clean platform to explore the interplay among structural chirality, SOC, mixed parity superconductivity, and topological quantum phenomena.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2026

Nonthermal melting and density wave instability coupled to the lattice in La$_4$Ni$_3$O$_{10}$

The recent discovery of high-temperature superconductivity in pressurized nickelates has renewed interest in the broken-symmetry states of their ambient-pressure parent phases, where a density-wave (DW) order emerges and competes with superconductivity, but its microscopic origin remains unresolved. Using ultrafast optical spectroscopy, we track quasiparticle relaxation dynamics across the DW transition at $T_{\rm DW} \approx$ 136 K in trilayer nickelate {\LNO} single crystals, revealing the opening of an energy gap of $\sim$52 meV. Multiple coherent phonons, including $A_g$ modes near 3.88, 5.28, and 2.09 THz, display pronounced mode-selective anomalies across the transition, indicating that the DW is strongly coupled to lattice degrees of freedom and suggesting an important role of electron-phonon coupling. At higher excitation densities, the DW is nonthermally suppressed, producing a temperature-fluence phase diagram that parallels pressure-tuned behavior. These results establish the DW in {\LNO} as a lattice-entangled instability involving multiple phonon modes, and highlight ultrafast optical excitation as a nonequilibrium tuning parameter for suppressing density-wave order in nickelates.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2026

Phase-sensitive evidence for pair density waves in a kagome superconductor

Pair density wave (PDW) exhibits periodic amplitude and sign modulations of the superconducting order parameter. Such a pairing state has long been proposed to be highly sensitive to nonmagnetic scattering, but its experimental realization remains elusive. Here we discover a nonmagnetic PDW-breaking effect in a kagome superconductor, using designer atomic nonmagnetic impurities and high-precision scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) at a base temperature of 30mK. We detect 2x2 pair density modulations by Josephson STM with a superconducting tip and 2x2 pairing gap modulations by normal STM. We find that the pairing modulations in both cases are substantially suppressed upon doping the kagome lattice with dilute isovalent nonmagnetic impurities, whereas the charge order and uniform superconductivity remain robust. We further identify the correlation between atomic dopants and the local suppression of PDW. We attribute these findings to a nonmagnetic pair-breaking effect, arising from the phase modulation of PDW in the kagome d-orbital. Taken together with its signatures in other state-of-the-art spectroscopy and transport measurements linked by theory, our findings support the ground state of the kagome superconductor as a correlated topological phase with superconducting loop currents.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2026

Spontaneous emergence of altermagnetism in the single-orbital extended Hubbard model

Altermagnetism (AM), the recently discovered third class of collinear magnetic order, is characterized by non-relativistic momentum-dependent spin-split electronic structure with compensated zero net magnetization. It can arise from the conventional antiferromagnetism by introducing local anisotropy on the two opposite-spin sublattices, either through structural changes in local crystallographic symmetry or spontaneous emergence of local staggered orbital order from electron correlations in multi-orbital systems. Here, we demonstrate on the two-dimensional square lattice that a $d$-wave AM can emerge spontaneously in the single-orbital extended Hubbard model, without invoking crystallographic anisotropy and multi-orbital physics. We carry out mean-field studies on the concrete single-orbital $t$-$U$-$V$ model with $U$ and $V$ the onsite and nearest-neighbor Coulomb interactions, obtaining the mean-field ground states, analyzing their properties, and determining the phase diagram in the $U$-$V$ plane. The $d$-wave AM with novel spin-transport behavior is found to be stabilized in a wide region of the phase diagram when the system is doped away from half-filling, actualized by the coexistence of onsite antiferromagnetic order and complex $d$-wave nearest-neighbor spin bond orders. Our findings provide an alternative route to achieve AM and substantially expand the range of candidate AM materials.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2026

Structural symmetry effects on the competition of density waves and superconductivity in bilayer nickelates

We investigate the interplay between spin-density-wave (SDW) order and superconductivity in the bilayer nickelate La$_3$Ni$_2$O$_7$ using the functional renormalization group~(fRG) applied to multiorbital weak-coupling models of both the ambient- and high-pressure crystal structures. As Hund's coupling increases, the leading instability evolves from superconductivity to an SDW state with ordering vector $\mathbf{Q}_1 \approx (π/2,π/2)$ (equivalently $\mathbf{Q}_Y \approx (0,π)$ in the orthorhombic $Amam$ unit cell), in agreement with experimental observations. Surprisingly, the ambient- and high-pressure structures exhibit nearly identical non-interacting susceptibilities and leading fRG instabilities, indicating that the emergence of superconductivity under pressure cannot be explained solely by changes in the low-energy electronic structure. Instead, our results identify the suppression of orthorhombicity as a key ingredient for superconductivity. As the system approaches the tetragonal limit, symmetry-related SDW fluctuations become nearly degenerate, frustrating long-range magnetic order while enhancing pairing interactions. These findings highlight lattice symmetry as a central tuning parameter of the competing ordered states in bilayer nickelates and suggest that reducing orthorhombicity through uniaxial strain could stabilize bulk superconductivity already at ambient pressure.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2026

Magnetic configurations and excitations in high-$T_{c}$ multilayer nickelates

We investigate the magnetic ground states and transverse spin excitations of bilayer and trilayer nickelates within a multi-orbital itinerant framework. For the bilayer system, although Hartree-Fock calculations slightly favor a double-stripe order, the calculated excitation spectrum of the single-stripe state, characterized by an anisotropic low-energy cone at $Q_{\text{BL}}$ and isotropic high-energy excitations near $Γ$, exhibits good qualitative agreement with recent RIXS and neutron scattering experiments. We further identify mirror-even optical interlayer modes at $Q_{\text{BL}}$ whose energies match the mirror-odd modes at $Γ$. For the trilayer system, both mirror-odd and mirror-even spin-density-wave states can be stabilized near $Q_{\text{TL}}$, with the mirror-odd state lower in energy in the parameter regime studied. The mirror-odd state hosts an additional nearly gapless mode dominated by the middle layer, while the mirror-even state contains only one acoustic branch together with two gapped optical modes. Comparison with available RIXS data favors the mirror-odd spin-density-wave scenario. Our results show that magnetic excitations provide a sensitive probe of the magnetic order and support a common itinerant origin of magnetism in multilayer nickelates.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2026

Evolution of the intertwining correlated topological phases in iron-based superconductor Fe(Te,Se)

Multiple topological electronic phases can coexist within a single quantum material and induce different topological superconducting states, offering deeper insights into interplay of topological superconducting states and Majorana modes, which may also be influenced and modified by correlation effect. Iron-based superconductors, with both topological states and correlation effect, is an ideal platform to study these phenomena. Here, with high resolution angle resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, we directly resolve two distinct intertwining topological states in iron-based superconductor Co-doped Fe(Te,Se), and study their evolution with electron doping. We identify a region where both topological insulator surface states and topological Dirac semimetal states intersect the Fermi level. The topological states are affected by the strong correlation effect and are isolated from trivial bulk states. The evolution between distinct topological phases offers a good opportunity to study various Majorana modes from different superconducting phases according to theoretical analysis. Our findings establish an ideal platform for exploring the interaction between multiple topological superconducting states and the related Majorana modes.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2026

Termination-Dependent Surface States and Magnetic Fingerprints of Chiral Helimagnet Cr1/3TaS2

Chiral helimagnets based on intercalated transition-metal dichalcogenides, characterized by nano-scale spin ordering, provide a powerful route to engineer chiral spin textures (e.g. the topologically protected magnetic solitons) and emergent electronic functionality at reduced dimensions, where surface and interface states often dominate device operation. However, despite growing interest, direct experimental studies of termination-dependent surface electronic structures and their temperature-driven magnetic evolution remain largely unexplored, hindering a microscopic understanding of the electronic states that is crucial for the development of low-dimensional spintronic devices. Here, for the first time, taking Cr1/3TaS2 as a representative example, we systematically investigate the termination-dependent surface electronic states of the chiral helimagnets and uncover their distinct temperature evolution across the magnetic transition (TC~142K) by combining high-resolution ARPES with a micro-focused beam and surface-state-resolved first-principles calculations. The TaS2-terminated surface hosts folded monolayer-like TaS2 bands under the $\sqrt3\times\sqrt3$ superlattice potential and a shallow triangular electron pocket at the superlattice $\bar K$ point arising from Cr-Ta orbital hybridization. In contrast, the Cr-terminated surface exhibits reconstructed hole pockets with pronounced magnetic band splitting. This splitting disappears above TC and closely follows the chiral helimagnetic order parameter, providing a direct spectroscopic fingerprint of chiral helimagnetic order. In addition, multiple ultranarrow Cr-d-derived surface flat bands are resolved. These findings establish Cr1/3TaS2 as a model system in which surface electronic states are strongly coupled to chiral magnetism, opening new opportunities for chiral spintronic and valleytronic micro/nanodevices.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2026

Pairing Mechanism in Bilayer Nickelate La$_3$Ni$_2$O$_7$ Superconductors

The recent discovery of superconductivity with $T_c \approx 80$~K in bilayer nickelate La$_3$Ni$_2$O$_7$ provides a new setting in which to test the organizing principles of unconventional high-temperature superconductivity. We show that the gene principle and the collaborative Fermi-surface rule which were previously proposed to unify unconventional high temperature superconductors, extend naturally to this bilayer, multi-orbital system. We identify that there are two antiferromagnetic exchange channels that can provide the dominant pairing force: an interlayer intra-orbital nearest-neighbour exchange $J_\perp$ between $d_{z^2}$ orbitals mediated by the inner apical oxygen, and an intralayer inter-orbital nearest-neighbour exchange $J_{xz}$ between $d_{z^2}$ and $d_{x^2-y^2}$ orbitals mediated by the in-plane oxygen. Owing to the bilayer bonding--antibonding splitting and the $B_{1g}$ symmetry of the $d_{x^2-y^2}$ orbital, these two channels cooperate to produce a robust $s^\pm$ superconducting state with an internal sign reversal between mirror-even and mirror-odd Fermi-surface pockets in momentum space. Both pairing channels maximize the superconducting gap on the $β$ pocket with a form factor $(cosk_x-cosk_y)^2$ in momentum space. The result places La$_3$Ni$_2$O$_7$ within a unified framework for unconventional superconductivity while revealing a distinct electronic environment for high-$T_c$ pairing.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2026

Discovery of an odd-parity f-wave charge order in a kagome metal

The spontaneous breaking of symmetries is a cornerstone of physics, defining the phases of matter from the cosmological scale to the quantum realm. In condensed matter, electronic orders are classified by their behavior under fundamental symmetries like spatial inversion (parity). While even-parity orders, such as conventional superconductivity and charge density waves, are ubiquitous, their odd-parity counterparts--predicted to host exotic phenomena such as gapless quasiparticle excitations and novel collective modes--are comparatively elusive states of quantum matter. Here, using high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy on the kagome metal CsV$_3$Sb$_5$, we report the discovery of an inversion symmetry-breaking $f$-wave charge bond order. We show that this phase, which preserves translation symmetry, is stabilized by the spontaneous opening of a spectral gap at a previously overlooked Dirac point, providing a textbook condensed-matter realization of the Gross-Neveu model for dynamical mass generation and parity breaking. Intriguingly, this $f$-wave order is itself a intervening phase, vanishing abruptly below a temperature of 10\,K and pointing to a subsequent transition into a `hidden' electronic state that is invisible to local STM probes. Our findings establish odd-parity charge order as a novel phase of matter, here, embedded within the intricate hierarchy of correlated electronic orders on the kagome lattice.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2026

Raman response in superconducting multiorbital systems with application to nickelates

The recent discovery of high-$T_c$ superconductivity in pressurized and thin film nickelates is nowadays one of the most relevant and active topics in solid-state physics. The origin of superconductivity together with the relevance of multiorbital physics are highly discussed issues in this field. Knowledge of the size of the gap and its symmetry is of fundamental interest to uncover the superconducting mechanism at play in the nickelates. Electronic Raman scattering is a powerful tool to investigate the main characteristics of the gap. Here, we investigate the Raman response in the superconducting phase for three different models: Two-orbital models, including $d_{x^2-y^2}$ and $d_{z^2}$ orbitals, with one and two layers; as well as a bilayer model with the $d_{x^2-y^2}$ orbital as the only active one. For each of these models, we consider different pairing symmetries and determine their characteristic fingerprints in the Raman response. For the two-orbital models, we perform full multiorbital calculations including interorbital and intraorbital scattering, and compare the results with those obtained using the additive Raman response where each band is considered separately. Our results should be useful for discussing the minimal model for superconductivity and its pairing symmetry in nickelates. The obtained results and discussions, as well as the presented formalism, are also of general interest for other multiorbital systems.

cond-mat.supr-con↗