arXiv subjects

Youguo Shi

Publications and source records attributed to Youguo Shi.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2024

Disorder Driven Non-Anderson Transition in a Weyl Semimetal

For several decades, it was widely believed that a non-interacting disordered electronic system could only undergo an Anderson metal-insulator transition due to Anderson localization. However, numerous recent theoretical works have predicted the existence of a disorder-driven non-Anderson phase transition that differ from Anderson localization. The frustration lies in the fact that this non-Anderson disorder-driven transition has not yet been experimentally demonstrated in any system. Here, using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we present a case study of observing the non-Anderson disorder-driven transition by visualizing the electronic structure of the Weyl semimetal NdAlSi on surfaces with varying amounts of disorder. Our observations reveal that strong disorder can effectively suppress all surface states in the Weyl semimetal NdAlSi, including the topological surface Fermi arcs. This disappearance of surface Fermi arcs is associated with the vanishing of the bulk topological invariant, indicating a quantum phase transition from a Weyl semimetal to a diffusive metal. By analyzing the changes in the electronic structure of NdAlSi, as the surface degrades, we provide a physical picture of this non-Anderson transition from a Weyl semimetal to a diffuse metal. These observations provide the first direct experimental evidence of the non-Anderson disorder-driven transition, a discovery long anticipated by theoretical physicists. The finding dispels longstanding suspicions among researchers that non-Anderson transitions exist in real quantum systems.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Chiral kagome superconductivity modulations with residual Fermi arcs in KV3Sb5 and CsV3Sb5

Superconductivity involving finite momentum pairing can lead to spatial gap and pair density modulations, as well as Bogoliubov Fermi states within the superconducting gap. However, the experimental realization of their intertwined relations has been challenging. Here, we detect chiral kagome superconductivity modulations with residual Fermi arcs in KV3Sb5 and CsV3Sb5 by normal and Josephson scanning tunneling microscopy down to 30mK with resolved electronic energy difference at microelectronvolt level. We observe a U-shaped superconducting gap with flat residual in-gap states. This gap exhibits chiral 2 by 2 spatial modulations with magnetic field tunable chirality, which align with the chiral 2 by 2 pair density modulations observed through Josephson tunneling. These findings demonstrate a chiral pair density wave (PDW) that breaks time-reversal symmetry. Quasiparticle interference imaging of the in-gap zero-energy states reveals segmented arcs, with high-temperature data linking them to parts of the reconstructed V d-orbital states within the charge order. The detected residual Fermi arcs can be explained by the partial suppression of these d-orbital states through an interorbital 2 by 2 PDW and thus serve as candidate Bogoliubov Fermi states. Additionally, we differentiate the observed PDW order from impurity-induced gap modulations. Our observations not only uncover a chiral PDW order with orbital-selectivity, but also illuminate the fundamental space-momentum correspondence inherent in finite momentum paired superconductivity.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2024

Unveiling van Hove singularity modulation and fluctuated charge order in kagome superconductor $\rm{CsV_3Sb_5}$ via time-resolved ARPES

Kagome superconductor CsV3Sb5, which exhibits intertwined unconventional charge density wave (CDW) and superconductivity, has garnered significant attention recently. Despite extensive static studies, the nature of these exotic electronic orders remains elusive. In this study, we investigate the non-equilibrium electronic structure of CsV3Sb5 via time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. Our results reveal that upon laser excitation, the van Hove singularities immediately shift towards the Fermi level and subsequently oscillate in sync with a 1.3 THz coherent phonon mode. By analyzing the coherent intensity oscillations in the energy-momentum (E-k) map, we find that this coherent phonon is strongly coupled with electronic bands from both Sb and V orbitals. While typically observable only in the CDW state, remarkably, we find that the 1.3-THz coherent phonon mode can be persistently excited at temperatures above T_CDW, suggesting the potential existence of fluctuated CDW in CsV3Sb5. These findings enhance our understanding of the unconventional CDW control of kagome superconductivity.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Inverse-current quantum electro-oscillations in a charge-density wave insulator

Quantum magneto-oscillations have long been a vital subject in condensed matter physics, with ubiquitous quantum phenomena and diverse underlying physical mechanisms. Here, we demonstrate the intrinsic and reproducible DC-current-driven quantum electro-oscillations with a periodicity in the inverse of the current (1/I), in quasi-one-dimensional charge-density-wave (CDW) insulators (TaSe$_4$)$_2$I and TaS$_3$ nanowires. Such oscillations manifest in the nearly infinite Fröhlich conductivity region where the undamped CDW flow forms in a finite electric current, and finally disappear after the oscillation index n reaches 1. A systematic investigation on the effect of temperature and magnetic field establishes that the observed electro-oscillations are a coherent quantum phenomenon. We discuss the possibilities of the physical mechanisms, including the formation of sliding-driven inherent Floquet sidebands. Our results introduce a new member in the family of quantum oscillations, and shed light on plausible avenues to explore novel physics and potential applications of coherent density-wave condensates.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Ta2Pd3Te5 topological thermometer

In recent decades, there has been a persistent pursuit of applications for surface/edge states in topological systems, driven by their dissipationless transport effects. However, there have been limited tangible breakthroughs in this field. This work demonstrates the remarkable properties of the topological insulator Ta2Pd3Te5, as a thermometer. This material exhibits a power-law correlation in temperature-dependent resistance at low temperatures, stemming from its Luttinger liquid behavior of edge states, while exhibiting semiconductor behavior at high temperatures. The power-law behavior effectively addresses the issue of infinite resistance in semiconductor thermometers at ultra-low temperatures, thereby playing a crucial role in enabling efficient thermometry in refrigerators supporting millikelvin temperatures or below. By employing chemical doping, adjusting thickness, and controlling gate voltage, its power-law behavior and semiconductor behavior can be effectively modulated. This enables efficient thermometry spanning from millikelvin temperatures to room temperature, and allows for precise local temperature measurement. Furthermore, this thermometer exhibits excellent temperature sensitivity and resolution, and can be fine-tuned to show small magnetoresistance. In summary, the Ta2Pd3Te5 thermometer, also referred to as a topological thermometer, exhibits outstanding performance and significant potential for measuring a wider range of temperatures compared to conventional low-temperature thermometers.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Evidence for Multiferroicity in Single-Layer CuCrSe$_2$

Multiferroic materials, which simultaneously exhibit ferroelectricity and magnetism, have attracted substantial attention due to their fascinating physical properties and potential technological applications. With the trends towards device miniaturization, there is an increasing demand for the persistence of multiferroicity in single-layer materials at elevated temperatures. Here, we report high-temperature multiferroicity in single-layer CuCrSe$_2$, which hosts room-temperature ferroelectricity and 120 K ferromagnetism. Notably, the ferromagnetic coupling in single-layer CuCrSe$_2$ is enhanced by the ferroelectricity-induced orbital shift of Cr atoms, which is distinct from both types I and II multiferroicity. These findings are supported by a combination of second-harmonic generation, piezo-response force microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, magnetic, and Hall measurements. Our research provides not only an exemplary platform for delving into intrinsic magnetoelectric interactions at the single-layer limit but also sheds light on potential development of electronic and spintronic devices utilizing two-dimensional multiferroics.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

1/3 and other magnetization plateaus in a quasi-one-dimensional Ising magnet $\mathbf{TbTi_3Bi_4}$ with zigzag spin chain

We report the magnetic properties of newly synthesized, single crystals of $\mathrm{TbTi_3Bi_4}$ whose crystal structure is highlighted by the stacking of terbium-based zigzag chains and titanium-based kagome lattices. This compound demonstrates extreme easy-axis magnetic anisotropy due to the crystalline-electric-field effect which aligns the $\mathrm{Tb^{3+}}$ moments along the zigzag chain direction. As the result of the strong single-ion anisotropy and multiple magnetic interactions, $\mathrm{TbTi_3Bi_4}$ behaves as a quasi-one-dimensional Ising magnet with a remarkable antiferromagnetic ordering at $T_\mathrm{N}$ = 20.4 K. When a magnetic field is applied along the direction of the zigzag chain, multiple meta-magnetic transitions occur between 1/3 and other magnetization plateaus. We have created a field-temperature phase diagram and mapped out the complex magnetic structures resulting from frustration.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

A family of air-stable chalcogenide solid electrolytes in Li$_2$BMQ$_4$ (B = Ca, Sr and Ba; M = Si, Ge and Sn; Q = O, S and Se) systems

Combining high-throughput first-principles calculations and experimental measurements, we have identified a novel family of fast lithium-ion chalcogenide conductors in Li$_2$BMQ$_4$ (2114, B = Ca, Sr and Ba; M = Si, Ge and Sn; Q = O, S and Se) systems. Our calculations demonstrate that most of the thermodynamically and kinetically stable sulfides and selenides in this new system exhibit ultralow Li$^+$ ion migration activation energy (0.16 eV ~ 0.56 eV) and considerable bandgaps varying between ~ 2 eV and 3.5 eV. We have successfully synthesized Li$_2$BaSnS$_4$ and Li$_2$SrSiS$_4$, and they exhibit excellent moisture stability through H$_2$S gas measurements. Electrochemical impedance measurements indicate 2114 systems show the typical features of solid ionic conductors, with a room-temperature Li$^+$ conductivity close to 5$\times$10$^{-4}$ mS/cm aligning with our molecular dynamics simulations. Furthermore, we have theoretically investigated the substitution of Cl$^-$ at S$^{2-}$ site. The doped compounds display significantly higher conductivity, with an increase of about three orders of magnitude (up to a maximum of 0.72 mS/cm) compared to the undoped compounds. These findings offer valuable insights for the further exploration of potential chalcogenide solid electrolyte materials with robust air stability and enhanced ionic conductivity for practical applications in lithium-ion batteries.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

A robust and tunable Luttinger liquid in correlated edge of transition-metal second-order topological insulator Ta$_2$Pd$_3$Te$_5$

The interplay between topology and interaction always plays an important role in condensed matter physics and induces many exotic quantum phases, while rare transition metal layered material (TMLM) has been proved to possess both. Here we report a TMLM Ta$_2$Pd$_3$Te$_5$ has the two-dimensional second-order topology (also a quadrupole topological insulator) with correlated edge states - Luttinger liquid. It is ascribed to the unconventional nature of the mismatch between charge- and atomic- centers induced by a remarkable double-band inversion. This one-dimensional protected edge state preserves the Luttinger liquid behavior with robustness and universality in scale from micro- to macro- size, leading to a significant anisotropic electrical transport through two-dimensional sides of bulk materials. Moreover, the bulk gap can be modulated by the thickness, resulting in an extensive-range phase diagram for Luttinger liquid. These provide an attractive model to study the interaction and quantum phases in correlated topological systems.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Multiple charge-density-wave gaps in LaSbTe and CeSbTe as revealed by ultrafast spectroscopy

Utilizing ultrafast time-resolved pump-probe spectroscopy measurements, we investigate the photoinduced quasiparticle dynamics of the topological materials LaSbTe and CeSbTe. In LaSbTe, the relaxation of quasiparticles is dominated by two different mechanisms: electron-phonon coupling, and phonon-assisted electron-hole recombination. Significantly, the amplitude of photoinduced reflectivity related to the former one shows two pronounced peaks at 156 K and 263 K, indicating the occurrence of two charge density wave (CDW) phase transitions. The ultrafast responses of CeSbTe share a lot of similarities with LaSbTe, and an additional CDW phase transition at 154 K is revealed in CeSbTe. However, the slower relaxation of CeSbTe exhibits an exotic behavior that deviates from the typical phonon-assisted electron-hole recombination process, probably due to the imbalance between the electron- and hole-type carriers. Unlike LaSbTe, the relaxation times of CeSbTe vary slightly with the pump power, inferring the possible participation of 4$f$ electron in the decay process. In addition, two oscillation modes around 1 THz and 3 THz are identified in both LaSbTe and CeSbTe, which are mostly likely to be coherent phonon modes. These findings unravel the existence of multiple CDW orders in LaSbTe and CeSbTe, offering insights into the underlying physics of these systems.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Interfacial magnetic spin Hall effect in van der Waals Fe3GeTe2/MoTe2 heterostructure

The spin Hall effect (SHE) allows efficient generation of spin polarization or spin current through charge current and plays a crucial role in the development of spintronics. While SHE typically occurs in non-magnetic materials and is time-reversal even, exploring time-reversal-odd (T-odd) SHE, which couples SHE to magnetization in ferromagnetic materials, offers a new charge-spin conversion mechanism with new functionalities. Here, we report the observation of giant T-odd SHE in Fe3GeTe2/MoTe2 van der Waals heterostructure, representing a previously unidentified interfacial magnetic spin Hall effect (interfacial-MSHE). Through rigorous symmetry analysis and theoretical calculations, we attribute the interfacial-MSHE to a symmetry-breaking induced spin current dipole at the vdW interface. Furthermore, we show that this linear effect can be used for implementing multiply-accumulate operations and binary convolutional neural networks with cascaded multi-terminal devices. Our findings uncover an interfacial T-odd charge-spin conversion mechanism with promising potential for energy-efficient in-memory computing.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Observation of the dual quantum spin Hall insulator by density-tuned correlations in a van der Waals monolayer

The convergence of topology and correlations represents a highly coveted realm in the pursuit of novel quantum states of matter. Introducing electron correlations to a quantum spin Hall (QSH) insulator can lead to the emergence of a fractional topological insulator and other exotic time-reversal-symmetric topological order, not possible in quantum Hall and Chern insulator systems. However, the QSH insulator with quantized edge conductance remains rare, let alone that with significant correlations. In this work, we report a novel dual QSH insulator within the intrinsic monolayer crystal of TaIrTe4, arising from the interplay of its single-particle topology and density-tuned electron correlations. At charge neutrality, monolayer TaIrTe4 demonstrates the QSH insulator that aligns with single-particle band structure calculations, manifesting enhanced nonlocal transport and quantized helical edge conductance. Interestingly, upon introducing electrons from charge neutrality, TaIrTe4 only shows metallic behavior in a small range of charge densities but quickly goes into a new insulating state, entirely unexpected based on TaIrTe4's single-particle band structure. This insulating state could arise from a strong electronic instability near the van Hove singularities (VHS), likely leading to a charge density wave (CDW). Remarkably, within this correlated insulating gap, we observe a resurgence of the QSH state, marked by the revival of nonlocal transport and quantized helical edge conduction. Our observation of helical edge conduction in a CDW gap could bridge spin physics and charge orders. The discovery of a dual QSH insulator introduces a new method for creating topological flat minibands via CDW superlattices, which offer a promising platform for exploring time-reversal-symmetric fractional phases and electromagnetism.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Spontaneous gap opening and potential excitonic states in an ideal Dirac semimetal Ta$_2$Pd$_3$Te$_5$

The opening of an energy gap in the electronic structure generally indicates the presence of interactions. In materials with low carrier density and short screening length, long-range Coulomb interaction favors the spontaneous formation of electron-hole pairs, so-called excitons, opening an excitonic gap at the Fermi level. Excitonic materials host unique phenomenons associated with pair excitations. However, there is still no generally recognized single-crystal material with excitonic order, which is, therefore, awaited in condensed matter physics. Here, we show that excitonic states may exist in the quasi-one-dimensional material Ta$_2$Pd$_3$Te$_5$, which has an almost ideal Dirac-like band structure, with Dirac point located exactly at Fermi level. We find that an energy gap appears at 350 K, and it grows with decreasing temperature. The spontaneous gap opening is absent in a similar material Ta$_2$Ni$_3$Te$_5$. Intriguingly, the gap is destroyed by the potassium deposition on the crystal, likely due to extra-doped carriers. Furthermore, we observe a pair of in-gap flat bands, which is an analog of the impurity states in a superconducting gap. All these observations can be properly explained by an excitonic order, providing Ta$_2$Pd$_3$Te$_5$ as a new and promising candidate realizing excitonic states.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Evidence for an Excitonic Insulator State in Ta$_2$Pd$_3$Te$_5$

The excitonic insulator (EI) is an exotic ground state of narrow-gap semiconductors and semimetals arising from spontaneous condensation of electron-hole pairs bound by attractive Coulomb interaction. Despite research on EIs dating back to half a century ago, their existence in real materials remains a subject of ongoing debate. In this study, through systematic experimental and theoretical investigations, we provide evidence for the existence of an EI ground state in a van der Waals compound Ta$_2$Pd$_3$Te$_5$. Density-functional-theory calculations suggest that it is a semimetal with a small band overlap, whereas various experiments exhibit an insulating ground state with a clear band gap. Upon incorporating electron-hole Coulomb interaction into our calculations, we obtain an EI phase where the electronic symmetry breaking opens a many-body gap. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements exhibit that the band gap is closed with a significant change in the dispersions as the number of thermally excited charge carriers becomes sufficiently large in both equilibrium and nonequilibrium states. Structural measurements reveal a slight breaking of crystal symmetry with exceptionally small lattice distortion in the insulating state, which cannot account for the significant gap opening. Therefore, we attribute the insulating ground state with a gap opening in Ta$_2$Pd$_3$Te$_5$ to exciton condensation, where the coupling to the symmetry-breaking electronic state induces a subtle change in the crystal structure.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Discovery of a Magnetic Topological Semimetal Eu$_3$In$_2$As$_4$ with a Single Pair of Weyl Points

Magnetic Weyl semimetal (MWS) is a unique topological state with open surface Fermi arc states and other exotic transport phenomena. However, most reported MWSs show multiple pairs of Weyl points and complicated Fermi surfaces, which increases the difficulty of the investigation into the intrinsic chiral transport property. In this wor, we successfully synthesized a soft magnetic Weyl semimetal Eu$_3$In$_2$As$_4$ with a single pair of Weyl points under magnetic fields. The Shubnikov de Haas (SdH) oscillation with a single frequency, as well as a linear hall resistance with the same carrier density, is observed up to 50 Tesla, indicating a single pair of Weyl points around the Fermi level with a massless fermion ($m^* = 0.121 m_0$, $π$ Berry phase). Such a single pair of Weyl points is further confirmed by the density functional theory calculations. The magnetic ordering and band topology can be easily tuned by the external magnetic field. The field-induced MWS Eu$_3$In$_2$As$_4$ with a single pair of Weyl points is a good platform to detect chiral transport properties, including possible quantum anomalous Hall effect.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

van Hove Singularity-Driven Emergence of Multiple Flat Bands in Kagome Superconductors

The newly discovered Kagome superconductors AV$_3$Sb$_5$ (A=K, Rb and Cs) continue to bring surprises in generating unusual phenomena and physical properties, including anomalous Hall effect, unconventional charge density wave, electronic nematicity and time-reversal symmetry breaking. Here we report an unexpected emergence of multiple flat bands in the AV$_3$Sb$_5$ superconductors. By performing high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission (ARPES) measurements, we observed four branches of flat bands that span over the entire momentum space. The appearance of the flat bands is not anticipated from the band structure calculations and cannot be accounted for by the known mechanisms of flat band generation. It is intimately related to the evolution of van Hove singularities. It is for the first time to observe such emergence of multiple flat bands in solid materials. Our findings provide new insights in revealing the underlying mechanism that governs the unusual behaviors in the Kagome superconductors. They also provide a new pathway in producing flat bands and set a platform to study the flat bands related physics.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Layer-dependent Raman spectroscopy of ultrathin Ta$_2$Pd$_3$Te$_5$

Two-dimensional topological insulators (2DTIs) or quantum spin Hall insulators are attracting increasing attention due to their potential applications in next-generation spintronic devices. Despite their promising prospects, realizable 2DTIs are still limited. Recently, Ta2Pd3Te5, a semiconducting van der Waals material, has shown spectroscopic evidence of quantum spin Hall states. However, achieving controlled preparation of few- to monolayer samples, a crucial step in realizing quantum spin Hall devices, has not yet been achieved. In this work, we fabricated few- to monolayer Ta$_2$Pd$_3$Te$_5$ and performed systematic thickness- and temperature-dependent Raman spectroscopy measurements. Our results demonstrate that Raman spectra can provide valuable information to determine the thickness of Ta2Pd3Te5 thin flakes. Moreover, our angle-resolved polarized Raman (ARPR) spectroscopy measurements show that the intensities of the Raman peaks are strongly anisotropic due to the quasi-one-dimensional atomic structure, providing a straightforward method to determine its crystalline orientation. Our findings may stimulate further efforts to realize quantum devices based on few or monolayer Ta$_2$Pd$_3$Te$_5$.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2023

Observation of Flat Bands and Dirac Cones in a Pyrochlore Lattice Superconductor

Emergent phases often appear when the electronic kinetic energy is comparable to the Coulomb interactions. One approach to seek material systems as hosts of such emergent phases is to realize localization of electronic wavefunctions due to the geometric frustration inherent in the crystal structure, resulting in flat electronic bands. Recently, such efforts have found a wide range of exotic phases in the two-dimensional kagome lattice, including magnetic order, time-reversal symmetry breaking charge order, nematicity, and superconductivity. However, the interlayer coupling of the kagome layers disrupts the destructive interference needed to completely quench the kinetic energy. Here we demonstrate that an interwoven kagome network-a pyrochlore lattice-can host a three dimensional (3D) localization of electron wavefunctions. Meanwhile, the nonsymmorphic symmetry of the pyrochlore lattice guarantees all band crossings at the Brillouin zone X point to be 3D gapless Dirac points, which was predicted theoretically but never yet observed experimentally. Through a combination of angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, fundamental lattice model and density functional theory calculations, we investigate the novel electronic structure of a Laves phase superconductor with a pyrochlore sublattice, CeRu$_2$. We observe flat bands originating from both the Ce 4$f$ orbitals as well as from the 3D destructive interference of the Ru 4$d$ orbitals. We further observe the nonsymmorphic symmetry-protected 3D gapless Dirac cones at the X point. Our work establishes the pyrochlore structure as a promising lattice platform to realize and tune novel emergent phases intertwining topology and many-body interactions.

cond-mat.str-el↗