arXiv subjects

Yugang Zhang

Publications and source records attributed to Yugang Zhang.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2022

Observation of enhanced spin-spin correlations at triple point in 2D ferromagnetic Cr2X2Te6 (X=Si, Ge)

The domain dynamics and spin-spin correlation of 2D ferromagnets Cr2X2Te6 (X=Si, Ge) are investigated by a composite magnetoelectric method. The magnetic field-temperature phase diagrams for both in-plane and out-of-plane magnetic fields disclose a triple point around TC and 1 kOe, where ferromagnetic, paramagnetic, and spin-polarized phases coexist. The magnetoelectric signal shows peak features at the phase boundaries and reaches the maximum at the triple point, suggesting significant enhancement of spin-spin correlations at this point. A comparison between two systems reveals that the spin-spin correlations in Cr2Si2Te6 are stronger than that in Cr2Ge2Te6.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2021

Giant and robust topological Hall effect in Chiral Magnet Co7Zn8Mn5

Recently, \b{eta}-Mn-type Co-Zn-Mn alloys have gained particular attentions as a new class of chiral magnets hosting skyrmion phase. In this work, a giant topological Hall effect(THE)is observed during the wide temperature range below 220 K in the chiral magnet Co7Zn8Mn5. The maximum topological Hall resistivity, -2.1 μΩ cm, is obtained at 10 K. Moreover, the observed THE effect persists up to Tc, which is mainly derived from the noncoplanar spin structure with scalar spin chirality. In contrast, the formation of skyrmion phase is substantiated at the temperature interval slightly below Tc by adopting the magnetization and ac-susceptibility. Further, the possible signal of skyrmion-conical coexisting phase is found based on the out-of-phase component in magnetoelastic measurements. These results strongly suggest the chiral magnet Co7Zn8Mn5 compound should be an excellent candidate to study the topological magnetic properties and high temperature skyrmions.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

Nanoscale dynamics during self-organized ion beam patterning of Si: I. Ar$^+$ Bombardment

Coherent grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering is used to investigate the average kinetics and the fluctuation dynamics during self-organized nanopatterning of silicon by Ar$^+$ bombardment at 65$^{\circ}$ polar angle. At early times, the surface behavior can be understood within the framework of linear theory. The transition away from the linear theory behavior is observed in the dynamics through the intensity correlation function. It quickly evolves to exhibit stretched exponential decay on short length scales and compressed exponential decay on length scales corresponding the dominant structural length scale - the ripple wavelength. The correlation times also peak strongly at the ripple length scale. This behavior has notable similarities but also significant differences with the phenomenon of de Gennes narrowing. Overall, this dynamics behavior is found to be consistent with simulations of a nonlinear growth model.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2021

Nanoscale dynamics during self-organized ion beam patterning of Si: II. Kr$^+$ Bombardment

Despite extensive study, fundamental understanding of self-organized patterning by broad-beam ion bombardment is still incomplete and controversial. Understanding the nanopatterning of elemental semiconductors, particularly silicon, is both foundational for the broader field and of intrinsic scientific and technological interest itself. This is the second component of a two-part investigation of the kinetics and fluctuation dynamics of self-organized nanoscale ripple development on silicon during 1 keV Ar$^+$ (Part I) and Kr$^+$ bombardment. Here, it's found that the ion-enhanced viscous flow relaxation is essentially equal for Kr$^+$-induced patterning as previously found for Ar$^+$ patterning. The magnitude of the surface curvature dependent roughening rate in the early stage kinetics is larger for Kr$^+$ than for Ar$^+$, qualitatively consistent with expectations for erosive and mass redistributive contributions to the initial surface instability. As with the Ar$^+$ case, fluctuation dynamics in the late stage show a peak in correlation time at the length scale corresponding to the dominant structural feature on the surface -- the ripples. Analogy is made to the phenomenon of de Gennes narrowing in liquids, but significant differences are also pointed out. Finally, it's shown that speckle motion during the surface evolution can be analyzed to determine spatial inhomogeneities in erosion rate and ripple velocity on the surface. This allows the direction and speed of ripple motion to be measured in real time, a unique capability for measuring these fundamental parameters outside the specialized environment of FIB/SEM systems.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2021

de Gennes Narrowing and the Relationship Between Structure and Dynamics in Self-Organized Ion Beam Nanopatterning

Investigating the relationship between structure and dynamical processes is a central goal in condensed matter physics. Perhaps the most noted relationship between the two is the phenomenon of de Gennes narrowing, in which relaxation times in liquids are proportional to the scattering structure factor. Here a similar relationship is discovered during the self-organized ion beam nanopatterning of silicon using coherent x-ray scattering. However, in contrast to the exponential relaxation of fluctuations in classic de Gennes narrowing, the dynamic surface exhibits a wide range of behaviors as a function of length scale, with a compressed exponential relaxation at lengths corresponding to the dominant structural motif - self-organized nanoscale ripples. These behaviors are reproduced in simulations of a nonlinear model describing the surface evolution. We suggest that the compressed exponential behavior observed here is due to the morphological persistence of the self-organized surface ripple patterns which form and evolve during ion beam nanopatterning.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2020

Dynamic clay microstructures emerge via ion complexation waves

Clays control carbon, water and nutrient transport in the lithosphere, promote cloud formation5 and lubricate fault slip through interactions among hydrated mineral interfaces. Clay mineral properties are difficult to model because their structures are disordered, curved and dynamic. Consequently, interactions at the clay mineral-aqueous interface have been approximated using electric double layer models based on single crystals of mica and atomistic simulations. We discover that waves of complexation dipoles at dynamically curving interfaces create an emergent long-range force that drives exfoliation and restacking over time- and length-scales that are not captured in existing models. Curvature delocalizes electrostatic interactions in ways that fundamentally differ from planar surfaces, altering the ratio of ions bound to the convex and concave sides of a layer. Multiple-scattering reconstruction of low-dose energy-filtered cryo electron tomography enabled direct imaging of ion complexes and electrolyte distributions at hydrated and curved mineral interfaces with ångstrom resolution over micron length scales. Layers exfoliate and restack abruptly and repeatedly over timescales that depend strongly on the counterion identity, demonstrating that the strong coupling between elastic, electrostatic and hydration forces in clays promote collective reorganization previously thought to be a feature only of active matter.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2020

Measurement of Ehrlich-Schwoebel barrier contribution to the self-organized formation of ordered surface patterns on Ge(001)

Normal incidence 1 keV Ar$^+$ ion bombardment leads to amorphization and ultrasmoothing of Ge at room temperature, but at elevated temperatures the Ge surface remains crystalline and is unstable to the formation of self-organized nanoscale patterns of ordered pyramid-shaped pits. The physical phenomenon distinguishing the high temperature patterning from room temperature ultrasmoothing is believed to be a surface instability due to the Ehrlich-Schwoebel barrier for diffusing vacancies and adatoms, which is not present on the amorphous material. This real-time GISAXS study compares smoothing of a pre-patterned Ge sample at room temperature with patterning of an initially flat Ge sample at an elevated temperature. In both experiments, when the nanoscale structures are relatively small in height, the average kinetics can be explained by a linear theory. The linear theory coefficients, indicating surface stability or instability, were extracted for both experiments. A comparison between the two measurements allows estimation of the contribution of the Ehrlich-Schwoebel barrier to the self-organized formation of ordered nanoscale patterns on crystalline Ge surfaces.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2019

Coherent X-ray measurement of step-flow propagation during growth on polycrystalline thin film surfaces

The properties of artificially grown thin films are strongly affected by surface processes during growth. Coherent X-rays provide an approach to better understand such processes and fluctuations far from equilibrium. Here we report results for vacuum deposition of C$_{60}$ on a graphene-coated surface investigated with X-ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy in surface-sensitive conditions. Step-flow is observed through measurement of the step-edge velocity in the late stages of growth after crystalline mounds have formed. We show that the step-edge velocity is coupled to the terrace length, and that there is a variation in the velocity from larger step spacing at the center of crystalline mounds to closely-spaced, more slowly propagating steps at their edges. The results extend theories of surface growth, since the behavior is consistent with surface evolution driven by processes that include surface diffusion, the motion of step-edges, and attachment at step edges with significant step-edge barriers.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗