arXiv subjects

Zhanfeng Liu

Publications and source records attributed to Zhanfeng Liu.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Odd spin symmetry and anisotropy switching in p-wave magnet CeNiAsO

Odd-parity magnets, complementary to altermagnets, exhibit unique properties such as high efficiency in charge-spin conversion and compatibility with conventional superconductivity, of critical importance in the pursuit of energy-efficient spintronics and topological superconductors for quantum computation. For even-parity d-wave and g-wave altermagnets, the magnetic structure, spin-split band structure and physical properties are currently under intensive study. On the contrary, while hundreds of odd-parity magnets and the promising properties have been predicted in theory, experimental studies are scarce. Specifically, the magnetic structure and transport properties of candidates NiI2 and Ga3Ru4Al12 have been reported, yet the characteristic band structure and particularly the odd-parity spin symmetry remain elusive. Here we demonstrate experimentally the deterministic p-wave spin symmetry and resistance anisotropy switching for the prototype odd-parity magnet, CeNiAsO. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) reveals two cleaved terminations with distinct surface band structure. By compensating the polar surface, we achieve intrinsic bulk band structure, for which the spin splitting can be well described by the p-wave magnetic structure through first-principles calculation. The bulk spin polarization measured by spin-resolved ARPES exhibits symmetry with only one degenerate plane, fingerprint of p-wave magnetism. We further demonstrate giant resistance anisotropy and switching between high-resistance and low-resistance states through modest field-induced domain selection, highlighting its potential for antiferromagnetic spin memory devices. The structural similarity between CeNiAsO and 1111-type Fe-based superconductors stimulates further exploration on the interplay between p-wave magnetism, superconductivity and band topology.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2026

Termination-Dependent Surface States and Magnetic Fingerprints of Chiral Helimagnet Cr1/3TaS2

Chiral helimagnets based on intercalated transition-metal dichalcogenides, characterized by nano-scale spin ordering, provide a powerful route to engineer chiral spin textures (e.g. the topologically protected magnetic solitons) and emergent electronic functionality at reduced dimensions, where surface and interface states often dominate device operation. However, despite growing interest, direct experimental studies of termination-dependent surface electronic structures and their temperature-driven magnetic evolution remain largely unexplored, hindering a microscopic understanding of the electronic states that is crucial for the development of low-dimensional spintronic devices. Here, for the first time, taking Cr1/3TaS2 as a representative example, we systematically investigate the termination-dependent surface electronic states of the chiral helimagnets and uncover their distinct temperature evolution across the magnetic transition (TC~142K) by combining high-resolution ARPES with a micro-focused beam and surface-state-resolved first-principles calculations. The TaS2-terminated surface hosts folded monolayer-like TaS2 bands under the $\sqrt3\times\sqrt3$ superlattice potential and a shallow triangular electron pocket at the superlattice $\bar K$ point arising from Cr-Ta orbital hybridization. In contrast, the Cr-terminated surface exhibits reconstructed hole pockets with pronounced magnetic band splitting. This splitting disappears above TC and closely follows the chiral helimagnetic order parameter, providing a direct spectroscopic fingerprint of chiral helimagnetic order. In addition, multiple ultranarrow Cr-d-derived surface flat bands are resolved. These findings establish Cr1/3TaS2 as a model system in which surface electronic states are strongly coupled to chiral magnetism, opening new opportunities for chiral spintronic and valleytronic micro/nanodevices.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2026

Unusual Dual Flat Bands and two-dimensional Dirac-node Arc State in Kagome Metal Ni3In2S2

Kagome materials are at the frontier of condensed matter physics. An ideal kagome lattice features only one geometrically frustrated flat band spanning the entire momentum space and a single Dirac cone at the Brillouin-zone corners. However, for the first time, here we observe unusual flat-band and Dirac physics in the newly discovered "322" kagome material Ni3In2S2 by combining high-resolution synchrotron- and laser-based angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy with a micro-focused beam, scanning tunneling microscopy, and first-principles calculations. We resolve two distinct electronic flat-band states located in close proximity to the Fermi level: a robust Topological Surface Flat Band at ~40 meV below the Fermi level on the Sulfur-terminated surface, originating from weak topological insulator states, and a kagome lattice-derived flat band at ~100 meV binding energy with an ultranarrow bandwidth (~5 meV). Instead of the single Dirac cone, the Indium-terminated surface hosts a rare two-dimensional Dirac-node arc state, where the gapless Dirac nodes extend along an open one-dimensional line crossing the Brillouin-zone boundary, exhibiting sharp linear dispersion, exceptionally high Fermi velocity, and pronounced circular dichroism. These findings establish Ni3In2S2 as a unique topological kagome metal in which multiple flat-band states of different physical origin coexist with an unusual Dirac-node arc, opening an avenue for discovering flat-band--driven and topology-enabled quantum phenomena.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2026

Observation of spin-valley locked nodal lines in a quasi-2D altermagnet

The interplay among quantum degrees of freedom-spin, orbital and momentum-has emerged as a fertile ground for realizing magnetic quantum states with transformative potential for electronic and spintronic technologies. Prominent examples include ferromagnetic Weyl semimetals and antiferromagnetic axion insulators. Recently, altermagnets(AMs) have been identified as a distinct spin-splitting class of collinear antiferromagnets(AFMs), characterized by crystal symmetry that connects magnetic sublattices in real space and enforces C-paired spin-momentum locking in reciprocal space. These materials combine the advantages of nonrelativistic spin-polarization akin to FMs and vanished net-magnetization as AFMs, making them highly promising for spintronic applications. Furthermore, they introduce nontrivial spin-momentum locking spin texture as an additional degree of freedom for realizing novel quantum phases. In this work, we report the discovery of a new type of spin-valley-locked nodal line phase in the layered AM Rb-intercalated V{_2}Te{_2}O. By combining high-resolution spin and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy with first-principles calculations, we observe the coexistence of both spinless and spinful nodal lines near the Fermi level. Remarkably, the spinful nodal lines exhibit uniform spin polarization within each valley, while displaying opposite spin polarizations across symmetry-paired valleys-a unique feature we term spin-valley-locked nodal lines, which is exclusive to AMs. Direct measurements of out-of-plane band dispersion using a side-cleaving technique reveal the two-dimensional nature of these nodal lines. Our findings not only unveil a previously unexplored topological phase in AMs where valley-locked spin as an additional quantum character but also establish RbV{_2}Te{_2}O as a promising platform for spintronics, valleytronics, and moire-engineered quantum devices.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

Unconventional band splitting of CeSb in the devil's staircase transition

The interplay between magnetism and electronic band structure is a central theme in condensed matter physics. CeSb, with its complex devil's staircase antiferromagnetic transition, offers a unique opportunity to explore this interplay. Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), we investigate the electronic structure evolution across the devil's staircase transition. Upon entering the antiferromagnetic phase, we observe an intriguing band splitting of the electron pocket around the X point. The energy separation between the split bands changes abruptly with temperature, consistent with the characteristics of the first-order phase transition. However, their respective spectral weights behave gradually with temperature. Combined with our density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we suggest that this atypical behavior deviates from conventional magnetically induced band splitting and potentially arises from the intricate modulation of paramagnetic and antiferromagnetic layers within the devil's staircase transition. Our results provide insights into the complex relationship between electronic structure and magnetism in correlated electron systems.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Momentum-resolved electronic structures and strong electronic correlations in graphene-like nitride superconductors

Although transition-metal nitrides have been widely applied for several decades, experimental investigations of their high-resolution electronic band structures are rare due to the lack of high-quality single-crystalline samples. Here, we report on the first momentum-resolved electronic band structures of titanium nitride (TiN) films, a remarkable nitride superconductor. The measurements of crystal structures and electrical transport properties confirmed the high quality of these films. More importantly, with a combination of high-resolution angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy and the first-principles calculations, the extracted Coulomb interaction strength of TiN films can be as large as 8.5 eV, whereas resonant photoemission spectroscopy yields a value of 6.26 eV. These large values of Coulomb interaction strength indicate that superconducting TiN is a strongly correlated system. Our results uncover the unexpected electronic correlations in transition-metal nitrides, potentially providing a perspective not only to understand their emergent quantum states but also to develop their applications in quantum devices.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2019

Measurements of decay branching fractions of $H\to b\bar{b}/c\bar{c}/gg$ in associated $(e^{+}e^{-}/μ^{+}μ^{-})H$ production at the CEPC

The high-precision measurement of Higgs boson properties is one of the primary goals of the Circular Electron Positron Collider (CEPC). The measurements of $H\to b\bar{b}/c\bar{c}/gg$ decay branching fraction in the CEPC experiment is presented, considering a scenario of analysing 5000 $\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$ $e^{+}e^{-}$ collision data with the center-of-mass energy of 250 GeV. In this study the Higgs bosons are produced in association with a pair of leptons, dominantly mediated by the $ZH$ production process. The statistical uncertainty of the signal cross section is estimated to be about 1 % in the $H\to b\bar{b}$ final state, and approximately 5 % - 10 % in the $H\to c\bar{c}/gg$ final states. In addition, the main sources of the systematic uncertainties and their impacts to the measurements of branching fractions are discussed. This study demonstrates the potential of precise measurement of the hadronic final states of the Higgs boson decay at the CEPC, and will provide key information to understand the Yukawa couplings between the Higgs boson and quarks, which are predicted to be the origin of quarks' masses in the Standard Model.

hep-ex↗