arXiv subjects

Yi-feng Yang

Publications and source records attributed to Yi-feng Yang.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv2020

Universal behavior in the Nernst effect of heavy fermion materials

We report the observation of a universal scaling of the Nernst coefficient over a wide intermediate temperature range in heavy fermion materials, including the superconductors CeCu$_2$Si$_2$, CeCoIn$_5$, and Ce$_2$PdIn$_8$, the ferromagnetic Kondo lattice Ce$_3$RhSi$_3$, the nonmagnetic CeRu$_2$Si$_2$, the intermediate valent YbAl$_3$, and the hidden order compound URu$_2$Si$_2$, that cover a broad spectrum of heavy fermion materials with different crystal, valence and ground state properties. The scaling formula follows exactly the magnetic susceptibility of emergent heavy quasiparticles as predicted in the two-fluid model. We give a tentative explanation of the scaling based on the skew scattering mechanism and the Boltzmann picture and argue that the Nernst effect is produced by the asymmetry of the quasiparticle density of states rather than that of the scattering rate. In URu$_2$Si$_2$, the giant Nernst signal in the hidden order phase is also found to follow the predicted scaling, indicating the potential involvement of hybridization physics. Our work suggests a candidate unified scenario for the Nernst effect in heavy fermion materials.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2020

Distinct pairing symmetries of superconductivity in infinite-layer nickelates

We report theoretical predictions on the pairing symmetry of the newly discovered superconducting nickelate Nd$_{1-x}$Sr$_{x}$NiO$_{2}$ based on the renormalized mean-field theory for a generalized model Hamiltonian proposed in [Phys. Rev. B \textbf{101}, 020501(R)]. For practical values of the key parameters, we find a transition between a gapped ($d+is$)-wave pairing state in the small doping region to a gapless $d$-wave pairing state in the large doping region, accompanied by an abrupt Fermi surface change at the critical doping. Our overall phase diagram also shows the possibility of a ($d+is$)- to $s$-wave transition if the electron hybridization is relatively small. In either case, the low-doping ($d+is$)-wave state is a gapped superconducting state with broken time-reversal symmetry. Our results are in qualitative agreement with recent experimental observations and predict several key features to be examined in future measurements.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2020

Universal behavior of the thermal Hall conductivity

We report theoretical and experimental analyses of the thermal Hall conductivity in correlated systems. For both fermionic and bosonic excitations with nontrivial topology, we show that at "intermediate" temperatures, the thermal Hall conductivity exhibits an unexpected universal scaling with a simple exponential form. At low temperatures, it behaves differently and reflects the spectral properties of underlying excitations. Our predictions are examined as examples in two prototype compounds, the quantum paraelectric SrTiO$_3$ and the spin-liquid compound RuCl$_3$. The experimental data can be largely covered by our proposed minimal phenomenological model independent of microscopic details, revealing dominant bosonic contributions in SrTiO$_3$ and gapped fermionic excitations in RuCl$_3$. Our work establishes a phenomenological link between microscopic models and experimental data and provides a unified basis for analyzing the thermal Hall conductivity in correlated systems over a wide temperature region.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2020

Effective classical correspondence of the Mott transition

We derive an effective classical model to describe the Mott transition of the half-filled one-band Hubbard model in the framework of the dynamical mean-field theory with hybridization expansion of the continuous time quantum Monte Carlo. We find a simple two-body interaction of exponential form and reveal a classical correspondence of the Mott transition driven by a logarithmically divergent interaction length. Our work provides an alternative angle to view the Mott physics and suggests a renewed possibility to extend the application of the quantum-to-classical mapping in understanding condensed matter physics

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2020

Observation of flat bands due to band hybridization in 3d-electron heavy-fermion compound CaCu3Ru4O12

We report angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and first-principles numerical calculations for the band structure evolution of the 3d heavy-fermion compound CaCu3Ru4O12. Below 200 K, we observed an emergent hybridization gap between the Cu 3d electron-like band and the Ru 4d hole-like band and the resulting flat band features near the Fermi energy centered around the Brillouin zone corner. Our results confirm the non-Kondo nature of CaCu3Ru4O12, in which the Cu 3dxy electrons are less correlated and not in the Kondo limit. Comparison between theory and experiment also suggests that other mechanism such as nonlocal interactions or spin fluctuations beyond the local dynamical mean-field theory may be needed in order to give a quantitative explanation of the peculiar properties in this material.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2019

Nonlinear uniaxial pressure dependence of $T_c$ in iron-based superconductors

We have systematically studied the effects of in-plane uniaxial pressure $p$ on the superconducting transition temperature $T_c$ in many iron-based superconductors. The change of $T_c$ with $p$ is composed of linear and nonlinear components. The latter can be described as a quadratic term plus a much smaller fourth-order term. In contrast to the linear component, the nonlinear $p$ dependence of $T_c$ displays a pronounced in-plane anisotropy, which is similar to the anisotropic response of the resistivity to $p$. As a result, it can be attributed to the coupling between the superconducting and nematic orders, in accordance with the expectations of a phenomenological Landau theory. Our results provide direct evidences for the interplay between nematic fluctuations and superconductivity, which may be a common behavior in iron-based superconductors.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2019

Hybridization fluctuations in the half-filled periodic Anderson model

Motivated by recent photoemission and pump-probe experiments, we report determinant Quantum Monte Carlo simulations of hybridization fluctuations in the half-filled periodic Anderson model. A tentative phase diagram is constructed based solely on hybridization fluctuation spectra and reveals a crossover regime between an unhybridized selective Mott state and a fully hybridized Kondo insulating state. This intermediate phase exhibits nonlocal hybridization fluctuations and consequentially the so-called "band bending" and a direct hybridization gap as observed in angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and optical conductivity. This connects the band bending with the nonlocal hybridization fluctuations as proposed in latest ultrafast optical pump-probe experiment. The Kondo insulating state is only established at lower temperatures with the development of sufficiently strong inter-site hybridization correlations. Our work suggests a unified picture for interpreting recent photoemission, pump-probe, and optical observations and provides numerical evidences for the importance of hybridization fluctuations in heavy fermion physics.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2019

Nearly-degenerate $p_x+ip_y$ and $d_{x^2-y^2}$ pairing symmetry in the heavy fermion superconductor YbRh$_2$Si$_2$

Recent discovery of superconductivity in YbRh$_2$Si$_2$ has raised particular interest in its pairing mechanism and gap symmetry. Here we propose a phenomenological theory of its superconductivity and investigate possible gap structures by solving the multiband Eliashberg equations combining realistic Fermi surfaces from first-principles calculations and a quantum critical form of magnetic pairing interactions. The resulting gap symmetry shows sensitive dependence on the in-plane propagation wave vector of the quantum critical fluctuations, suggesting that superconductivity in YbRh$_2$Si$_2$ is located on the border of $(p_x+ip_y)$ and $d_{x^2-y^2}$-wave solutions. This leads to two candidate phase diagrams: one has only a spin-triplet $(p_x+ip_y)$-wave superconducting phase; the other contains multiple phases with a spin-singlet $d_{x^2-y^2}$-wave state at zero field and a field-induced spin-triplet $(p_x+ip_y)$-wave state. In addition, the electron pairing is found to be dominated by the `jungle-gym' Fermi surface rather than the `doughnut'-like one, in contrast to previous thought. This requests a more elaborate and renewed understanding of the electronic properties of YbRh$_2$Si$_2$.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2019

Quasi-two-dimensional Fermi surfaces and unitary spin-triplet pairing in the heavy fermion superconductor UTe$_2$

We report first-principles and strongly-correlated calculations of the newly-discovered heavy fermion superconductor UTe$_2$. Our analyses reveal three key aspects of its magnetic, electronic, and superconducting properties, that include: (1) a two-leg ladder-type structure with strong magnetic frustrations, which might explain the absence of long-range orders and the observed magnetic and transport anisotropy; (2) quasi-two-dimensional Fermi surfaces composed of two separate electron and hole cylinders with similar nesting properties as in UGe$_2$, which may potentially promote magnetic fluctuations and help to enhance the spin-triplet pairing; (3) a unitary spin-triplet pairing state of strong spin-orbit coupling at zero field, with point nodes presumably on the heavier hole Fermi surface along the $k_x$-direction, in contrast to the previous belief of non-unitary pairing. Our proposed scenario is in excellent agreement with latest thermal conductivity measurement and provides a basis for understanding the peculiar magnetic and superconducting properties of UTe$_2$.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2019

Functional field integral approach to quantum work

We introduce the functional field integral approach to study the statistics of quantum work under nonequilibrium conditions and derive the general formalism for a bilinear Hamiltonian with arbitrary time dependence. The method is then examined in three models. For the transverse Ising chain, it yields the correct quantum critical scaling and dynamical quantum phase transitions for single and double quench protocols, respectively. For the Su-Schrieffer-Heeger (SSH) model, we observe nonuniversal quantum critical scaling with anomalous $1/N$-correction due to its topological nature. Dynamical quantum phase transitions are observed for three different time evolution protocols but their time periodicity only appears in the double quench case. We then extend our method to the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) model for superconductivity and discuss the possibility of its application for general correlated models in combination with either the mean-field approximation or exact Monte Carlo simulations on classical (auxiliary) fields or disorders. Our method has the advantage of numerical simplicity, in the cost of explicit state evolution, and provides a promising way for exploring the physics of quantum work under general conditions.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2019

Quantum-critical phase out of frustrated magnetism in a strongly correlated metal

Strange-metal phenomena often develop at the border of antiferromagnetic order in strongly correlated metals. It has been well established that they can originate from the fluctuations anchored by the point of continuous quantum phase transition out of the antiferromagnetic order, i.e., a quantum critical point. What has been unclear is how these phenomena can be associated with a potential new phase of matter at zero temperature. Here we show that magnetic frustration of the 4f-local moments in the distorted Kagome intermetallic compound CePdAl gives rise to such a paramagnetic quantum-critical phase. Moreover, we demonstrate that this phase turns into a Fermi liquid through a Mott-like crossover; in a two-dimensional parameter space of pressure and magnetic field, this crossover is linked to a line of zero-temperature 4f-electron localization-delocalization phase transitions at low and moderate pressures. Our discovery motivates a new design principle for strongly correlated metallic states with unconventional excitations that may underlie the development of such effects as high temperature superconductivity.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2019

Giant magnetic quantum oscillations in the thermal conductivity of TaAs: Indications of chiral zero sound

Charge transport of topological semimetals has been in the focus of intensive investigations because of their non-trivial band topology. Heat transport of these materials, on the other hand, is largely unexplored and remains elusive. Here we report on an observation of unprecedented, giant magnetic quantum oscillations of thermal conductivity in the prototypical Weyl semimetal TaAs. The oscillations are antiphase with the quantum oscillating electronic density of states of a Weyl pocket, and their amplitudes amount to two orders of magnitude of the estimation based on the Wiedemann-Franz law. Our analyses show that all the conventional heat-transport mechanisms through diffusions of propagating electrons, phonons and electron-hole bipolar excitations, are far inadequate to account for these phenomena. Taking further experimental facts that the parallel field configuration favors much higher magneto-thermal conductivity, we propose that the newly proposed chiral zero sound provides a reasonable explanation to these exotic phenomena. More work focusing on other topological semimetals along the same line is badly called for.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2019

The effect of non-superconducting dopants (Mn, V, Cr and Cu) on the nematic fluctuations in iron-based superconductors

We have systematically studied the nematic susceptibility in non-superconducting Ba(Fe$_{1-x}$TM$_{x}$)$_2$As$_2$ (TM = Cr, Mn, V and Cu) by measuring the uniaxial pressure dependence of the resistivity along the Fe-As-Fe direction. The nematic susceptibilities in all samples show the Curie-Weiss-like behavior at high temperatures, where the nematic Curie constant $A_n$ can be derived, similar to the Curie constant in a paramagnetism. While all these dopants do not introduce superconductivity in BaFe$_2$As$_2$, their effects on nematic fluctuations are different. In Mn, Cr and V doped samples, $|A_n|$ decreases significantly with the increasing doping level. On the other hand, $|A_n|$ increases dramatically with Cu doping, similar to the superconducting Ni-doped BaFe$_2$As$_2$. However, the nematic susceptibility is suppressed at low temperatures for $x$ larger than $0.04$, which may be related to the short-range antiferromagnetic order that survives up to very high doping level. Doping Mn, Cr and Cu into the optimally-doped superconducting BaFe$_2$(As$_{0.69}$P$_{0.31}$)$_2$ also strongly reduces $|A_n|$. Compared with those systems that clearly exhibit superconductivity, such as Ni, K or P doped samples, our results suggest a strong connection between the nematic and spin degrees of freedom. Moreover, the reason of the suppression of superconductivity by dopants such as Cr, Mn, V and Cu may be correlated with the suppression of nematic fluctuations.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2019

Possible nodeless $s^\pm$-wave superconductivity in twisted bilayer graphene

Recent discovery of superconductivity in the twisted bilayer graphene has stimulated numerous theoretical proposals concerning its exact gap symmetry. Among them, $d+id$ or $p+ip$-wave were believed to be the most plausible solutions. Here considering the superconductivity emerges near a correlated insulating state and may be induced by antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations, we apply the strong-coupling Eliashberg theory with both inter- and intraband quantum critical pairing interactions and discuss the possible gap symmetry in an effective low-energy four-orbital model. Our calculations reveal a nodeless $s^\pm$-wave as the most probable candidate for superconducting gap symmetry in the experimentally relevant parameter range. This solution is distinctly different from previous theoretical proposals. In particular, it contains interesting topological components in the valley space, which might be tuned by experimental manipulation of the valley degree of freedom.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2018

Anisotropic hybridization in a new Kondo lattice compound CeCoInGa$_3$

We report a detailed and comparative study of the single crystal CeCoInGa$_3$ in both experiment and theory. Resistivity measurements reveal the typical behavior of Kondo lattice with the onset temperature of coherence, $T^*\approx 50\,$K. The magnetic specific heat can be well fitted using a spin-fluctuation model at low temperatures, yielding a large Sommerfeld coefficient, $γ\approx172\,$mJ/mol K$^2$ at 6 K, suggesting that this is a heavy-fermion compound with a pronounced coherence effect. The magnetic susceptibility exhibits a broad field-independent peak at $T_χ$ and shows an obvious anisotropy within the $bc$ plane, reflecting the anisotropy of the coherence effect at high temperatures. These are compared with strongly correlated calculations combining first-principles band structure calculations and dynamical mean-field theory. Our results confirm the onset of coherence at about 50 K and reveal a similar anisotropy in the hybridization gap, pointing to a close connection between the hybridization strength of the low-temperature Fermi-liquid state and the high-temperature coherence effect.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2018

Gap symmetry of the heavy fermion superconductor CeCu$_2$Si$_2$ at ambient pressure

Recent observations of two nodeless gaps in superconducting CeCu$_2$Si$_2$ have raised intensive debates on its exact gap symmetry, while a satisfactory theoretical basis is still lacking. Here we propose a phenomenological approach to calculate the superconducting gap functions, taking into consideration both the realistic Fermi surface topology and the intra- and interband quantum critical scatterings. Our calculations yield a nodeless $s^\pm$-wave solution in the presence of strong interband pairing interaction, in good agreement with experiments. This provides a possible basis for understanding the superconducting gap symmetry of CeCu$_2$Si$_2$ at ambient pressure and indicates the potential importance of multiple Fermi surfaces and interband pairing interaction in understanding heavy fermion superconductivity.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2018

Impurity-induced bound states as a signature of pairing symmetry in multiband superconducting CeCu$_{2}$Si$_{2}$

Multiband superconductivity with dominant two-gap features are recently proposed to challenge the earlier accepted nodal $d$-wave pairing in the first unconventional superconductor CeCu$_{2}$Si$_{2}$. Here we obtain multiband Fermi-surface topology of CeCu$_{2}$Si$_{2}$ via first-principles calculations, and study the problem within an effective two hybridization band model including detailed band-structure. Within T-matrix approximation, our calculations reveal that different pairing candidates could yield qualitatively distinct features characterised by impurity-induced bound states. Except for the nodeless $s^{\pm}$-wave, both loop-nodal $s$-wave and $d$-wave pairings can give rise to intra-gap impurity bound states. In particular, the intra-gap states for the $d_{x^2-y^2}$-wave and loop-nodal $s$-wave are distinguishable and locate either near or far away from the Fermi energy, respectively. These features can be readily verified by high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy and provide an unambiguous justification for the ongoing debate about the superconducting gap symmetry of CeCu$_{2}$Si$_{2}$ at ambient pressure.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2017

Anomalous connection between antiferromagnetic and superconducting phases in pressurized non-centrosymmetric heavy fermion compound CeRhGe3

Unconventional superconductivity frequently emerges as the transition temperature of a magnetic phase, typically antiferromagnetic, is suppressed continuously toward zero temperature. Here, we report contrary behavior in pressurized CeRhGe3, a non-centrosymmetric heavy fermion compound. We find that its pressure-tuned antiferromagnetic transition temperature (TN) appears to avoid a continuous decrease to zero temperature by terminating abruptly above a dome of pressure-induced superconductivity. Near 21.5 GPa, evidence for TN suddenly vanishes, the electrical resistance becomes linear in temperature and the superconducting transition reaches a maximum. In light of X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements, these characteristics appear to be related to a pressured-induced Ce valence instability, which reveals as a sharp increase in the rate of change of Ce valence with applied pressure.

cond-mat.supr-con↗