arXiv subjects

Y. Ren

Publications and source records attributed to Y. Ren.

36 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2018

Strongly-coupled quantum critical point in an all-in-all-out antiferromagnet

Dimensionality and symmetry play deterministic roles in the laws of Nature. They are important tools to characterize and understand quantum phase transitions, especially in the limit of strong correlations between spin, orbit, charge, and structural degrees of freedom. Using newly-developed, high-pressure resonant x-ray magnetic and charge diffraction techniques, we have discovered a quantum critical point in Cd2Os2O7 as the all-in-all-out (AIAO) antiferromagnetic order is continuously suppressed to zero temperature and, concomitantly, the cubic lattice structure continuously changes from space group Fd-3m to F-43m. Surrounded by three phases of different time reversal and spatial inversion symmetries, the quantum critical region anchors two phase lines of opposite curvature, with striking departures from a mean-field form at high pressure. As spin fluctuations, lattice breathing modes, and quasiparticle excitations interact in the quantum critical region, we argue that they present the necessary components for strongly-coupled quantum criticality in this three-dimensional compound.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2016

Ferro-lattice-distortions and charge fluctuations in superconducting LaO$_{1-x}$F$_{x}$BiS$_{2}$

Competing ferroelectric and charge density wave phases have been proposed to be present in the electron-phonon coupled LaO$_{1-x}$F$_{x}$BiS$_{2}$ superconductor. The lattice instability arises from unstable phonon modes that can break the crystal symmetry. Upon examination of the crystal structure using single crystal diffraction, we find a superlattice pattern arising from coherent in-plane displacements of the sulfur atoms in the BiS$_{2}$ superconducting planes. The distortions morph into coordinated ferro-distortive patterns, challenging previous symmetry suggestions including the possible presence of unstable antiferro-distortive patterns. The ferro-distortive pattern remains in the superconducting state, but with the displacements diminished in magnitude. Moreover, the sulfur displacements can exist in several polytypes stacked along the c-axis. Charge carriers can get trapped in the lattice deformations reducing the effective number of carriers available for pairing.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2015

Integrated tuning fork nanocavity optomechanical transducers with high $f_{M}Q_{M}$ product and stress-engineered frequency tuning

Cavity optomechanical systems are being widely developed for precision force and displacement measurements. For nanomechanical transducers, there is usually a trade-off between the frequency ($f_{M}$) and quality factor ($Q_{M}$), which limits temporal resolution and sensitivity. Here, we present a monolithic cavity optomechanical transducer supporting both high $f_{M}$ and high $Q_{M}$. By replacing the common doubly-clamped, Si$_3$N$_4$ nanobeam with a tuning fork geometry, we demonstrate devices with the fundamental $f_{M}\approx29$ MHz and $Q_{M}\approx2.2$$\times10^5$, corresponding to an $f_{M}Q_{M}$ product of 6.35$\times10^{12}$ Hz, comparable to the highest values previously demonstrated for room temperature operation. This high $f_{M}Q_{M}$ product is partly achieved by engineering the stress of the tuning fork to be 3 times the residual film stress through clamp design, which results in an increase of $f_{M}$ up to 1.5 times. Simulations reveal that the tuning fork design simultaneously reduces the clamping, thermoelastic dissipation, and intrinsic material damping contributions to mechanical loss. This work may find application when both high temporal and force resolution are important, such as in compact sensors for atomic force microscopy.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2012

Selective surface functionalization at regions of high local curvature in graphene

Monolayer graphene was deposited on a Si wafer substrate decorated with SiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) and then exposed to aryl radicals that were generated in situ from their diazonium precursors. Using micro-Raman mapping, the aryl radicals were found to selectively react with the regions of graphene that covered the NPs. The enhanced chemical reactivity was attributed to the increased strain energy induced by the local mechanical deformation of the graphene.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2011

Strongly symmetric smooth toric varieties

We investigate toric varieties defined by arrangements of hyperplanes and call them strongly symmetric. The smoothness of such a toric variety translates to the fact that the arrangement is crystallographic. As a result, we obtain a complete classification of this class of toric varieties. Further, we show that these varieties are projective and describe associated toric arrangements in these varieties.

math.AG↗

arXiv2010

Zero-bias Anomaly of Quantum Point Contacts in the Low-Conductance Limit

Most quantum point contacts (QPCs) fabricated in high-mobility 2D electron gases show a zero-bias conductance peak near pinchoff, but the origin of this peak remains a mystery. Previous experiments have primarily focused on the zero-bias peak at moderate conductance, in the range (1-2)e^2/h. Here, measurements are presented of zero-bias peaks that persist down to 10^{-4}e^2/h. Magnetic field and temperature dependencies of the zero-bias peak in the low-conductance limit are qualitatively different from the analogous phenomenology at higher conductance, with implications for existing theoretical models of transport in low-density QPCs.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2010

Nuclear Polarization in Quantum Point Contacts in an In-Plane Magnetic Field

Nuclear spin polarization is typically generated in GaAs quantum point contacts (QPCs) when an out-of-plane magnetic field gives rise to spin-polarized quantum Hall edge states, and a voltage bias drives transitions between the edge states via electron-nuclear flip-flop scattering. Here, we report a similar effect for QPCs in an in-plane magnetic field, where currents are spin polarized but edge states are not formed. The nuclear polarization gives rise to hysteresis in the d.c. transport characteristics, with relaxation timescales around 100 seconds. The dependence of anomalous QPC conductance features on nuclear polarization provides a useful test of their spin-sensitivity.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2010

Measurement of spin-dependent conductivities in a two-dimensional electron gas

Spin accumulation is generated by injecting an unpolarized charge current into a channel of GaAs two-dimensional electron gas subject to an in-plane magnetic field, then measured in a non-local geometry. Unlike previous measurements that have used spin-polarized nanostructures, here the spin accumulation arises simply from the difference in bulk conductivities for spin-up and spin-down carriers. Comparison to a diffusive model that includes spin subband splitting in magnetic field suggests a significantly enhanced electron spin susceptibility in the 2D electron gas.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2009

New Insights into Dissipation in the Electron Layer During Magnetic Reconnection

Detailed comparisons are reported between laboratory observations of electron-scale dissipation layers near a reconnecting X-line and direct two-dimensional full-particle simulations. Many experimental features of the electron layers, such as insensitivity to the ion mass, are reproduced by the simulations; the layer thickness, however, is about 3-5 times larger than the predictions. Consequently, the leading candidate 2D mechanism based on collisionless electron nongyrotropic pressure is insufficient to explain the observed reconnection rates. These results suggest that, in addition to the residual collisions, 3D effects play an important role in electron-scale dissipation during fast reconnection.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2009

Hyperpolarized Long-T1 Silicon Nanoparticles for Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Silicon nanoparticles are experimentally investigated as a potential hyperpolarized, targetable MRI imaging agent. Nuclear T_1 times at room temperature for a variety of Si nanoparticles are found to be remarkably long (10^2 to 10^4 s) - roughly consistent with predictions of a core-shell diffusion model - allowing them to be transported, administered and imaged on practical time scales without significant loss of polarization. We also report surface functionalization of Si nanoparticles, comparable to approaches used in other biologically targeted nanoparticle systems.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2008

Ballistic Spin Resonance

The phenomenon of spin resonance has had far reaching influence since its discovery nearly 70 years ago. Electron spin resonance (ESR) driven by high frequency magnetic fields has informed our understanding of quantum mechanics, and finds application in fields as diverse as medicine and quantum information. Spin resonance induced by high frequency electric fields, known as electric dipole spin resonance (EDSR), has also been demonstrated recently. EDSR is mediated by spin-orbit interaction (SOI), which couples the spin degree of freedom and the momentum vector. Here, we report the observation of a novel spin resonance due to SOI that does not require external driving fields. Ballistic spin resonance (BSR) is driven by an internal spin-orbit field that acts upon electrons bouncing at gigaHertz frequencies in narrow channels of ultra-clean two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG). BSR is manifested in electrical measurements of pure spin currents as a strong suppression of spin relaxation length when the motion of electrons is in resonance with spin precession. These findings point the way to gate-tunable coherent spin rotations in ballistic nanostructures without external a.c. fields.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2008

Magnetic switching and phase competition in the multiferroic antiferromagnet $\rm Mn_{1-x}Fe_xWO_4$

Elastic neutron scattering is used to study the spin correlations in the multiferroic $\rm Mn_{1-x}Fe_{x}WO_4$ with $x=0.035, 0.05$ and 0.10. The noncollinear, incommensurate (ICM) magnetic structure associated with the ferroelectric (FE) phase in pure $\rm MnWO_4$ is suppressed at $x=0.035$ and completely absent at $x=0.10$. The ICM spin order and FE phase can be restored by applying a magnetic field along the spin easy-axis. The low-$T$ commensurate magnetic structure extends in both H/T with increasing Fe concentration. The systematic evolution of the magnetic and electric properties indicates that the noncollinear ICM spin order results from competing magnetic interactions and its stabilization can be tuned by the internal ($x$) or external (magnetic field) perturbations.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2008

Coexistence of the spin-density-wave and superconductivity in the (Ba,K)Fe2As2

The relation between the spin-density-wave (SDW) and superconducting order is a central topic in current research on the FeAs-based high Tc superconductors. Conflicting results exist in the LaFeAs(O,F)-class of materials, for which whether the SDW and superconductivity are mutually exclusive or they can coexist has not been settled. Here we show that for the (Ba,K)Fe2As2 system, the SDW and superconductivity can coexist in an extended range of compositions. The availability of single crystalline samples and high value of the energy gaps would make the materials a model system to investigate the high Tc ferropnictide superconductivity.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2007

Magnetic Interaction in the Geometrically Frustrated Triangular Lattice Antiferromagnet $\rm CuFeO_2$

The spin wave excitations of the geometrically frustrated triangular lattice antiferromagnet (TLA) $\rm CuFeO_2$ have been measured using high resolution inelastic neutron scattering. Antiferromagnetic interactions up to third nearest neighbors in the ab plane (J_1, J_2, J_3, with $J_2/J_1 \approx 0.44$ and $J_3/J_1 \approx 0.57$), as well as out-of-plane coupling (J_z, with $J_z/J_1 \approx 0.29$) are required to describe the spin wave dispersion relations, indicating a three dimensional character of the magnetic interactions. Two energy dips in the spin wave dispersion occur at the incommensurate wavevectors associated with multiferroic phase, and can be interpreted as dynamic precursors to the magnetoelectric behavior in this system.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2006

Intrinsic Nanoscale Inhomogeneities in Transition Metal Oxides

Neutron elastic, inelastic and high energy x-ray scattering techniques are used to explore the nature of the polaron order and dynamics in La0.7Ca0.3MnO3. Static polaron correlations develop within a narrow temperature regime as the Curie temperature is approached from low temperatures, with a nanoscale correlation length that is only weakly temperature dependent. The static nature of these short-range polaron correlations indicates the presence of a glass-like state, similar to the observations for the bilayer manganite in the metallic-ferromagnetic doping region. In addition to this elastic component, inelastic scattering measurements reveal dynamic correlations with a comparable correlation length, and with an energy distribution that is quasielastic. The elastic component disappears at a higher temperature T*, above which the correlations are purely dynamic. The overall behavior bears a remarkable resemblance to the magnetic fluctuation spectrum recently observed in underdoped cuprates.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2003

Structural, electronic, and magneto-optical properties of YVO$_3$

Optical and magneto-optical properties of YVO$_3$ single crystal were studied in FIR, visible, and UV regions. Two structural phase transitions at 75 K and 200 K were observed and established to be of the first and second order, respectively. The lattice has an orthorhombic $Pbnm$ symmetry both above 200 K as well as below 75 K, and is found to be dimerized monoclinic $Pb11$ in between. We identify YVO$_3$ as a Mott-Hubbard insulator with the optical gap of 1.6 eV. The electronic excitations in the visible spectrum are determined by three $d$-bands at 1.8, 2.4, and 3.3 eV, followed by the charge-transfer transitions at about 4 eV. The observed structure is in good agreement with LSDA+$U$ band structure calculations. By using ligand field considerations, we assigned these bands to the transitions to the $^4A_{2g}$, $^2E_{g} + ^2T_{1g}$, and $^2T_{2g}$ states. The strong temperature dependence of these bands is in agreement with the formation of orbital order. Despite the small net magnetic moment of 0.01 $μ_B$ per vanadium, the Kerr effect of the order of $0.01^\circ$ was observed for all three $d$-bands in the magnetically ordered phase $T_{\text{Néel}}<116 K$. A surprisingly strong enhancement of the Kerr effect was found below 75 K, reaching a maximum of $0.1^\circ$. The effect is ascribed to the non-vanishing net orbital magnetic moment.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2003

Evidence for orbital ordering in LaCoO3

We present powder and single crystal X-ray diffraction data as evidence for a monoclinic distortion in the low spin (S=0) and intermediate spin state (S=1) of LaCoO3. The alternation of short and long bonds in the ab plane indicates the presence of eg orbital ordering induced by a cooperative Jahn-Teller distortion. We observe an increase of the Jahn-Teller distortion with temperature in agreement with a thermally activated behavior of the Co3+ ions from a low-spin ground state to an intermediate-spin excited state.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2001

Transition between orbital orderings in YVO3

Evidence has been found for a change in the ordered occupation of the vanadium d-orbitals at the 77K phase transition in YVO3, manifested by a change in the type of Jahn-Teller distortion. The orbital ordering above 77K is not destroyed at the magnetic ordering temperature of 116K, but is present as far as a second structural phase transition at 200K. The transition between orbital orderings is caused by an increase in octahedral tilting with decreasing temperature.

cond-mat.str-el↗