arXiv subjects

Yi-feng Yang

Publications and source records attributed to Yi-feng Yang.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2022

Learned Optimizers for Analytic Continuation

Traditional maximum entropy and sparsity-based algorithms for analytic continuation often suffer from the ill-posed kernel matrix or demand tremendous computation time for parameter tuning. Here we propose a neural network method by convex optimization and replace the ill-posed inverse problem by a sequence of well-conditioned surrogate problems. After training, the learned optimizers are able to give a solution of high quality with low time cost and achieve higher parameter efficiency than heuristic fully-connected networks. The output can also be used as a neural default model to improve the maximum entropy for better performance. Our methods may be easily extended to other high-dimensional inverse problems via large-scale pretraining.

cs.LG↗

arXiv2022

Revealing sign-reversal $s^{+-}$-wave pairing by quasiparticle interference in the heavy-fermion superconductor CeCu$_2$Si$_2$

Recent observations of two nodeless gaps in superconducting CeCu$_2$Si$_2$ have raised intensive debates as to its exact gap structure of either sign-reversal ($s^{+-}$) or sign-preserving ($s^{++}$) pairing. Here we investigate the quasiparticle interference (QPI) using realistic Fermi surface topology for both weak and strong interband impurity scatterings. Our calculations of the QPI and integrated antisymmetrized local density of states reveal qualitative distinctions between $s^{+-}$ and $s^{++}$ pairing states, which include the intragap impurity resonance and a significant energy-dependence difference between two gap energies. Our predictions provide a guide for phase-sensitive QPI measurements to uncover decisively the true pairing symmetry in the heavy-fermion superconductor CeCu$_2$Si$_2$.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2021

A unified theory of ferromagnetic quantum phase transitions in heavy fermion metals

Motivated by the recent discovery of a continuous ferromagnetic quantum phase transition in CeRh$_6$Ge$_4$ and its distinction from other U-based heavy fermion metals such as UGe$_2$, we develop a unified explanation of their different ground state properties based on an anisotropic ferromagnetic Kondo-Heisenberg model. We employ an improved large-$N$ Schwinger boson approach and predict a full phase diagram containing both a continuous ferromagnetic quantum phase transition for large magnetic anisotropy and first-order transitions for relatively small anisotropy. Our calculations reveal three different ferromagnetic phases including a half-metallic spin selective Kondo insulator with a constant magnetization. The Fermi surface topologies are found to change abruptly between different phases, consistent with that observed in UGe$_2$. At finite temperatures, we predict the development of Kondo hybridization well above the ferromagnetic long-range order and its relocalization near the phase transition, in good agreement with band measurements in CeRh$_6$Ge$_4$. Our results highlight the importance of magnetic anisotropy and provide a unified theory for understanding the ferromagnetic quantum phase transitions in heavy fermion metals.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

Schwinger boson approach for the dynamical mean-field theory of the Kondo lattice

We apply the dynamical large-$N$ Schwinger boson technique as an impurity solver for the dynamical mean-field theory (DMFT) calculations of the Kondo lattice model. Our approach captures the hybridization physics through the DMFT self-consistency that is missing in the pure Schwinger boson calculations with independent electron baths. The resulting thermodynamic and transport properties are in qualitative agreement with more rigorous calculations and give the correct crossover behavior over a wide temperature range from the local moment regime to the Fermi liquid. Our method may be further extended to combine with the density functional theory for efficient material calculations.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

Self-doping and the Mott-Kondo scenario for infinite-layer nickelate superconductors

We give a brief review of the Mott-Kondo scenario and its consequence in the recently-discovered infinite-layer nickelate superconductors. We argue that the parent state is a self-doped Mott insulator and propose an effective $t$-$J$-$K$ model to account for its low-energy properties. At small doping, the model describes a low carrier density Kondo system with incoherent Kondo scattering at finite temperatures, in good agreement with experimental observation of the logarithmic temperature dependence of electric resistivity. Upon increasing Sr doping, the model predicts a breakdown of the Kondo effect, which provides a potential explanation of the non-Fermi liquid behavior of the electric resistivity with a power law scaling over a wide range of the temperature. Unconventional superconductivity is shown to undergo a transition from nodeless $(d+is)$-wave to nodal $d$-wave near the critical doping due to competition of the Kondo and Heisenberg superexchange interactions. The presence of different pairing symmetry may be supported by recent tunneling measurements.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

Nonlocal Kondo effect and quantum critical phase in heavy fermion metals

Heavy fermion metals typically exhibit unconventional quantum critical point or quantum critical phase at zero temperature due to competition of Kondo effect and magnetism. Previous theories were often based on certain local type of assumptions and a fully consistent explanation of experiments has not been achieved. Here we develop an efficient algorithm for the Schwinger boson approach to explore the effect of spatial correlations on the Kondo lattice and introduce the concept of nonlocal Kondo effect in the quantum critical region with deconfined spinons. We predict a global phase diagram containing a non-Fermi liquid quantum critical phase with a hidden holon Fermi surface and a partially enlarged electron Fermi surface for strong quantum fluctuations while a single quantum critical point for weak quantum fluctuations. This explains the unusual metallic spin liquid recently reported in the frustrated Kondo lattice CePdAl and resolves the Fermi volume puzzle in YbRh$_2$Si$_2$. Our theory highlights the importance of nonlocal physics and provides a unified understanding of heavy fermion quantum criticality.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

Spin current Kondo effect in frustrated Kondo systems

Magnetic frustrations can enhance quantum zero-point motion in spin systems and lead to exotic topological insulating states. When coupled to mobile electrons, they may lead to unusual non-Fermi liquid or metallic spin liquid states whose nature has not been well explored. Here, we propose a spin current Kondo mechanism underlying a series of non-Fermi liquid phases on the border of Kondo and magnetic phases in a frustrated three-impurity Kondo model. This mechanism is confirmed by renormalization group analysis and describes movable Kondo singlets called "holons" induced by an effective coupling between the spin current of conduction electrons and the vector chirality of localized spins. Similar mechanism may widely exist in all frustrated Kondo systems and be detected through spin-current noise measurements.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

Mutual information, quantum phase transition, and phase coherence in Kondo systems

We propose a static auxiliary field approximation to study the hybridization physics of Kondo systems without the sign problem and use the mutual information to measure the intersite hybridization correlations. Our method takes full account of the spatial fluctuations of the hybridization fields at all orders and overcomes the artificial (first-order) phase transition predicted in the mean-field approximation. When applied to the two-impurity Kondo model, it reveals a logarithmically divergent amplitude mutual information near the so-called "Varma-Jones" fixed point and a large phase mutual information manifesting the development of intersite phase coherence in the Kondo regime, with observable influences on physical properties. These highlight the importance of hybridization fluctuations and confirm the mutual information as a useful tool to explore the hybridization physics in Kondo systems.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

Mechanism of the insulator-to-metal transition and superconductivity in the spin liquid candidate NaYbSe$_2$ under pressure

The quantum spin liquid candidate NaYbSe$_2$ was recently reported to exhibit a Mott transition under pressure. Superconductivity was observed in the high-pressure metallic phase, raising the question concerning its relation with the low-pressure quantum spin liquid ground state. Here we combine the density functional theory and the dynamical mean-field theory to explore the underlying mechanism of the insulator-to-metal transition and superconductivity and establish an overall picture of its electronic phases under pressure. Our results suggest that NaYbSe$_2$ is a charge-transfer insulator at ambient pressure. Upon increasing pressure, however, the system first enters a semi-metallic state with incoherent Kondo scattering against coexisting localized Yb-$4f$ moments, and then turns into a heavy fermion metal. In between, there may exist a delocalization quantum critical point responsible for the observed non-Fermi liquid region with linear-in-$T$ resistivity. The insulator-to-metal transition is therefore a two-stage process. Superconductivity emerges in the heavy fermion phase with well-nested Yb-4$f$ Fermi surfaces, suggesting that spin fluctuations may play a role in the Cooper pairing. NaYbSe$_2$ might therefore be the 3rd Yb-based heavy-fermion superconductor with a very "high" $T_c$ than most heavy fermion superconductors.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

NMR Evidence of Antiferromagnetic Spin Fluctuations in Nd$_{0.85}$Sr$_{0.15}$NiO$_2$

Despite the recent discovery of superconductivity in Nd$_{1-x}$Sr$_{x}$NiO$_2$ thin films, the absence of superconductivity and antiferromagnetism in their bulk materials remain a puzzle. Here we report the $^{1}$H NMR measurements on powdered Nd$_{0.85}$Sr$_{0.15}$NiO$_2$ samples by taking advantage of the enriched proton concentration after hydrogen annealing. We find a large full width at half maximum of the spectrum, which keeps increasing with decreasing the temperature and exhibits an upturn behavior at low temperatures. The spin-lattice relaxation rate $1/^{1}T_1$ is strongly enhanced when lowering the temperature, developing a broad peak at about 40 K, then decreases following a spin-wave-like behavior $1/^{1}T_1{\sim}T^2$ at lower temperatures. These results evidence a short-range glassy antiferromagnetic ordering of magnetic moments below 40 K and dominant antiferromagnetic fluctuations extending to much higher temperatures. Our findings reveal the strong electron correlations in bulk Nd$_{0.85}$Sr$_{0.15}$NiO$_2$, and shed light on the mechanism of superconductivity observed in films of nickelates.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2021

The first-principles research on the role of surface in the heavy fermion compound CeRh$_2$Si$_2$

In the heavy fermion materials, the characteristic energy scales of many exotic strongly correlated phenomena (Kondo effect, magnetic order, superconductivity, etc.) are at milli-electron-volt order, implying that the heavy fermion materials are surface sensitive. Here, we investigate the electronic structures for Si- and Ce-terminated surfaces of CeRh$_2$Si$_2$ by first-principles methods. Our research reveals three notable impacts of surface effects on electronic structures, which are consistent with recent angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) experiments. Firstly, the relaxation of surface crystal structures changes the relative position of Fermi level, adjusts the dispersion of bands and enhances the Kondo resonance. Secondly, the decrease of the hybridization between the Ce-4$f$ and conduction electrons in the surface layer leads to a weaker Kondo resonance peak and the shift of spin-orbit bands. Thirdly, the variation of crystal electric field around surface Ce atoms affects the splitting of Kondo resonance peaks, and also pushes down the lower-Hubbard bands of surface 4$f$ electrons. Moreover, we find the characteristic of bulk's lower-Hubbard bands, which was overlooked in previous works. Our investigation suggests that these surface effects are potentially important and highlighted in the future researches on properties of strongly correlated materials.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

High-energy magnetic excitations from heavy quasiparticles in CeCu$_2$Si$_2$

Magnetic fluctuations is the leading candidate for pairing in cuprate, iron-based and heavy fermion superconductors. This view is challenged by the recent discovery of nodeless superconductivity in CeCu$_2$Si$_2$, and calls for a detailed understanding of the corresponding magnetic fluctuations. Here, we mapped out the magnetic excitations in \ys{superconducting (S-type)} CeCu$_2$Si$_2$ using inelastic neutron scattering, finding a strongly asymmetric dispersion for $E\lesssim1.5$~meV, which at higher energies evolve into broad columnar magnetic excitations that extend to $E\gtrsim 5$ meV. While low-energy magnetic excitations exhibit marked three-dimensional characteristics, the high-energy magnetic excitations in CeCu$_2$Si$_2$ are almost two-dimensional, reminiscent of paramagnons found in cuprate and iron-based superconductors. By comparing our experimental findings with calculations in the random-phase approximation,we find that the magnetic excitations in CeCu$_2$Si$_2$ arise from quasiparticles associated with its heavy electron band, which are also responsible for superconductivity. Our results provide a basis for understanding magnetism and superconductivity in CeCu$_2$Si$_2$, and demonstrate the utility of neutron scattering in probing band renormalization in heavy fermion metals.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

Quantum phase transitions and superconductivity in the pressurized heavy-fermion compound CeCuP2

The tilted balance among competing interactions can yield a rich variety of ground states of quantum matter. In most Ce-based heavy fermion systems, this can often be qualitatively described by the famous Doniach phase diagram, owing to the competition between the Kondo screening and the Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yoshida exchange interaction. Here, we report an unusual pressure-temperature phase diagram beyond the Doniach one in CeCuP2. At ambient pressure, CeCuP2 displays typical heavy-fermion behavior, albeit with a very low carrier density. With lowering temperature, it shows a crossover from a non Fermi liquid to a Fermi liquid at around 2.4 K. But surprisingly, the Kondo coherence temperature decreases with increasing pressure, opposite to that in most Ce-based heavy fermion compounds. Upon further compression, two superconducting phases are revealed. At 48.0 GPa, the transition temperature reaches 6.1 K, the highest among all Ce-based heavy fermion superconductors. We argue for possible roles of valence tuning and fluctuations associated with its special crystal structure in addition to the hybridization effect. These unusual phase diagrams suggest that CeCuP2 is a novel platform for studying the rich heavy fermions physics beyond the conventional Doniach paradigm.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

Bandwidth-control orbital-selective delocalization of 4f electrons in epitaxial Ce films

The 4f-electron delocalization plays a key role in the low-temperature properties of rare-earth metals and intermetallics, including heavy fermions and mix-valent compounds, and is normally realized by the many-body Kondo coupling between 4f and conduction electrons. Due to the large onsite Coulomb repulsion of 4f electrons, the bandwidth-control Mott-type delocalization, commonly observed in d-electron systems, is difficult in 4f-electron systems and remains elusive in spectroscopic experiments. Here we demonstrate that the bandwidth-control orbital-selective delocalization of 4f electrons can be realized in epitaxial Ce films by thermal annealing, which results in a metastable surface phase with a reduced layer spacing. The resulting quasiparticle bands exhibit large dispersion with exclusive 4f character near E_F and extend reasonably far below the Fermi energy, which can be explained from the Mott physics. The experimental quasiparticle dispersion agrees surprisingly well with density-functional theory calculation and also exhibits unusual temperature dependence, which could be a direct consequence of the delicate interplay between the bandwidth-control Mott physics and the coexisting Kondo hybridization. Our work therefore opens up the opportunity to study the interaction between two well-known localization-delocalization mechanisms in correlation physics, i.e., Kondo vs Mott, which can be important for a fundamental understanding of 4f-electron systems.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

Topological Surface Superconductivity Induced by Hydrostatic Pressure-Enhanced Antisymmetric Spin-Orbit Coupling in Non-Centrosymmetric Superconductor PbTaSe2

A notable characteristic of PbTaSe$_2$, a prototypical noncentrosymmetric (NCS) superconductor, is that its superconductivity can be modulated through a structural transition under hydrostatic pressure [Phys. Rev. B 95, 224508 (2017)]. Here we report on simultaneous pressure-sensitive point-contact Andreev reflection (PCAR) spectroscopy and bulk resistance measurements on PbTaSe$_2$, to elucidate the nature of the surface and bulk superconductivity and their evolution with hydrostatic pressure. It is found that in high pressure region the superconducting gap opening temperature $T_c^A$ is significantly lower that the bulk resistive transition temperature $T_c^R$, revealing a clear experimental signature of surface-bulk separation associated with enhanced antisymmetric spin-orbit coupling (ASOC). The PCAR spectra, reflecting the superconducting surface state, are analyzed with the Blonder-Tinkham-Klapwijk theory, yielding an isotropic $s$-wave full BCS-gap in the strong coupling regime. Analysis based on a modified McMillan formula indicates a sizable coupling strength contributed from ASOC for the superconducting surface state. These results suggest the coexistence of full gap $s$-wave superconductivity and topological surface states in PbTaSe$_2$, indicating that this NSC with significantly enhanced ASOC may offer a solid platform to investigate the topological aspect in the superconducting condensate.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2021

Crystal structure and properties of iron-based spin-chain compound Ba9Fe3Se15

We report the synthesis of a new quasi one-dimensional (1D) iron selenide. Ba9Fe3Se15 was synthesized at high temperature and high pressure of 5.5 GPa and systematically studied via structural, magnetic and transport measurements at ambient and at high-pressures. Ba9Fe3Se15 crystallizes in a monoclinic structure and consists of face-sharing FeSe6 octahedral chains along the c axis. At ambient pressure it exhibits an insulating behavior with a band gap ~460 meV and undergoes a ferrimagnet-like phase transition at 14 K. Under high pressure, a complete metallization occurs at ~29 GPa, which is accompanied by a spin state crossover from high spin (HS) state to low spin (LS) state. The LS appears for pressures P >36 GPa.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2021

Magnetic field-tuned quantum criticality in optimally electron-doped cuprate thin films

Antiferromagnetic (AF) spin fluctuations are commonly believed to play a key role in electron pairing of cuprate superconductors. In electron-doped cuprates, it is still in paradox about the interplay among different electronic states in quantum perturbations, especially between superconducting and magnetic states. Here, we report a systematic transport study on cation-optimized La2-xCexCuO4 (x = 0.10) thin films in high magnetic fields. We find an AF quantum phase transition near 60 T, where the Hall number jumps from nH =-x to nH = 1-x, resembling the change of nH at the AF boundary (xAF = 0.14) tuned by Ce doping. In the AF region a spin dependent state manifesting anomalous positive magnetoresistance is observed, which is closely related to superconductivity. Once the AF state is suppressed by magnetic field, a polarized ferromagnetic state is predicted, reminiscent of the recently reported ferromagnetic state at the quantum endpoint of the superconducting dome by Ce doping. The magnetic field that drives phase transitions in a similar but distinct manner to doping thereby provides a unique perspective to understand the quantum criticality of electron-doped cuprates.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2020

Energy-scale cascade and correspondence between Mott and Kondo lattice physics

We propose an energy-scale correspondence between the Mott physics and the Kondo lattice physics and construct a tentative phase diagram of their correlated electrons with two characteristic energy scales $ω^*$ and $Ω$ marking the upper boundary of a low-energy regime with well-developed long-range coherence and the lower boundary of localized spectral weight in the energy space, respectively. In between, there exists a crossover region with emergent but damped quasiparticle excitations. We argue that the presence of two separate energy scales is a generic property of correlated electrons on a lattice and reflects an intrinsic two-stage process of the quasiparticle dynamics to build up the lattice coherence. For the Hubbard model, they correspond to the kink and waterfall structures on the dispersion, while for the periodic Anderson model, they are associated with the indirect and direct hybridization gaps. Our work reveals a deep connection between the Mott and Kondo lattice physics and provides a basic ingredient for the study of many-body systems.

cond-mat.str-el↗