Divalent EuRhSi as a reference for the Luttinger theorem and antiferromagnetism in trivalent heavy-fermion YbRhSi

Gttler, M.*; Generalov, A.*; 藤森 伸一; Kummer, K.*; Chikina, A.*; Seiro, S.*; Danzenbcher, S.*; Koroteev, Yu. M.*; Chulkov, E. V.*; Radovic, M.*; et al.

Nature Communications (Internet), 10(1), p.796_1 - 796_7, 2019/02

http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-08688-y

Application of the Luttinger Theorem (LT) to the canonical heavy-fermion Kondo Lattice (KL) material YbRhSi suggests that its large 4f-derived Fermi surface (FS) in the paramagnetic (PM) regime should be similar in shape and volume to that of the divalent local moment anti-ferromagnet (AFM) EuRhSi in its PM regime. This leads to the tempting opportunity to explore a new experimental realization of the LT in general and how the large FS may change upon the AFM transition below 70 mK in YbRhSi in particular. A detailed knowledge of the FS reconstruction might be essential to disclose the properties of this phase, which is a precursor of quantum criticality and superconductivity. Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), we observe a large FS for PM EuRhSi essentially the same as the one seen in YbRhSi in the KL state at a temperature of 1 K. Across the EuRhSi AFM transition we found an extensive fragmentation of the FS due to Brillouin zone folding, intersection and resulting hybridization of the Doughnut and Jungle gym Fermi-surface sheets. Our results on EuRhSi indicate that the formation of the AFM state in YbRhSi is very likely also connected with large changes in the FS, which have to be taken into account in the controversial analysis and discussion of anomalies observed at the quantum critical point in this system.

Vortex rectenna powered by environmental fluctuations

Lustikova, J.*; 塩見 雄毅*; 横井 直人*; 壁谷 典幸*; 木村 憲彰*; 家永 紘一郎*; 金子 真一*; 大熊 哲*; 高橋 三郎*; 齊藤 英治

Nature Communications (Internet), 9, p.4922_1 - 4922_6, 2018/11

http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-07352-1

A rectenna, standing for a rectifying antenna, is an apparatus which generates d.c. electricity from electric fluctuations. It is expected to realize wireless power transmission as well as energy harvesting from environmental radio waves. To realize such rectification, devices that are made up of internal atomic asymmetry such as an asymmetric junction have been necessary so far. Here we report a material that spontaneously generates electricity by rectifying environmental fluctuations without using atomic asymmetry. The sample is a common superconductor without lowered crystalline symmetry, but, just by putting it in an asymmetric magnetic environment, it turns into a rectifier and starts generating electricity. Superconducting vortex strings only annihilate and nucleate at surfaces, and this allows the bulk electrons to feel surface fluctuations in an asymmetric environment: a vortex rectenna. The rectification and generation can be switched on and off with only a slight change in temperature or external magnetic fields.

Improving atomic displacement and replacement calculations with physically realistic damage models

Nordlund, K.*; Zinkle, S. J.*; Sand, A. E.*; Granberg, F.*; Averback, R. S.*; Stoller, R.*; 鈴土 知明; Malerba, L.*; Banhart, F.*; Weber, W. J.*; et al.

Nature Communications (Internet), 9, p.1084_1 - 1084_8, 2018/03

http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-03415-5

原子衝突プロセスは、電子顕微鏡、半導体加工、原子力発電等、数多くの先進的な材料技術の基本である。ここ数十年にわたる広範な実験および計算シミュレーション研究によって、弾き出し損傷時に起きる原子スケールのプロセスを理解するための物理的基礎が確立された。損傷を定量化するための現在の国際標準はNorgett-Robinson-Torrens(NRT)-dpaと呼ばれているが、現在それにはいくつかの欠点が知られている。特に、金属のカスケード損傷で生成される欠陥の数は、NRT-dpa予測の約1/3であるのに対し、原子の混合に関与する原子数はdpa値よりも約30倍大きい。本研究では、弾き出し損傷をより現実的に記述し、NRT-dpaを拡張する2つの新しい指標を提案する。

Structure of the magnetic excitations in the spin-1/2 triangular-lattice Heisenberg antiferromagnet BaCoSbO

伊藤 沙也*; 栗田 伸之*; 田中 秀数*; 河村 聖子; 中島 健次; 伊藤 晋一*; 桑原 慶太郎*; 加倉井 和久*

Nature Communications (Internet), 8, p.235_1 - 235_6, 2017/08

http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-00316-x

A spin-1/2 triangular-lattice Heisenberg antiferromagnet (TLHAF) is a prototypical frustrated quantum magnet, which exhibits remarkable quantum many-body effects that arise from the synergy between spin frustration and quantum fluctuation. The ground-state properties of a spin-1/2 TLHAF are theoretically well understood. However, magnetic excitations are less well understood and the theoretical consensus is limited. The experimental study of the magnetic excitations in spin-1/2 TLHAFs has also been limited. Here we show the whole picture of magnetic excitations in the spin-1/2 TLHAF BaCoSbO investigated by inelastic neutron scattering. Significantly different from the theory, the excitation spectra have a three-stage energy structure. The lowest first stage is composed of dispersion branches of single-magnon excitations. The second and third stages are dispersive continua accompanied by columnar continuum extending above 10 meV, which is six times larger than the exchange interaction J=1.67 meV. Our results indicate the necessity of a new theoretical framework.

Polar rotor scattering as atomic-level origin of low mobility and thermal conductivity of perovskite CHNHPbI

Li, B.; 川北 至信; Liu, Y.*; Wang, M.*; 松浦 直人*; 柴田 薫; 河村 聖子; 山田 武*; Lin, S.*; 中島 健次; et al.

Nature Communications (Internet), 8, p.16086_1 - 16086_9, 2017/06

http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms16086

Perovskite CHNHPbI exhibits outstanding photovoltaic performances, but the understanding of the atomic motions remains inadequate even though they take a fundamental role in transport properties. Here, we present a complete atomic dynamic picture consisting of molecular jumping rotational modes and phonons, which is established by carrying out high-resolution time-of-flight quasi-elastic and inelastic neutron scattering measurements in a wide energy window ranging from 0.0036 to 54 meV on a large single crystal sample, respectively. The ultrafast orientational disorder of molecular dipoles, activated at approximately 165 K, acts as an additional scattering source for optical phonons as well as for charge carriers. It is revealed that acoustic phonons dominate the thermal transport, rather than optical phonons due to sub-picosecond lifetimes. These microscopic insights provide a solid standing point, on which perovskite solar cells can be understood more accurately and their performances are perhaps further optimized.

Thermal imaging of spin Peltier effect

大門 俊介*; 井口 亮*; 日置 友智*; 齊藤 英治; 内田 健一*

Nature Communications (Internet), 7, p.13754_1 - 13754_7, 2016/12

http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms13754

The Peltier effect modulates the temperature of a junction comprising two different conductors in response to charge currents across the junction, which is used in solid-state heat pumps and temperature controllers in electronics. Recently, in spintronics, a spin counterpart of the Peltier effect was observed. The "spin Peltier effect" modulates the temperature of a magnetic junction in response to spin currents. Here we report thermal imaging of the spin Peltier effect; using active thermography technique, we visualize the temperature modulation induced by spin currents injected into a magnetic insulator from an adjacent metal. The thermal images reveal characteristic distribution of spin-current-induced heat sources, resulting in the temperature change confined only in the vicinity of themetal/insulator interface. This finding allows us to estimate the actual magnitude of the temperature modulation induced by the spin Peltier effect, which is more than one order of magnitude greater than previously believed.

Volume-wise destruction of the antiferromagnetic Mott insulating state through quantum tuning

Frandsen, B. A.*; Liu, L.*; Cheung, S. C.*; Guguchia, Z.*; Khasanov, R.*; Morenzoni, E.*; Munsie, T. J. S.*; Hallas, A. M.*; Wilson, M. N.*; Cai, Y.*; et al.

Nature Communications (Internet), 7, p.12519_1 - 12519_8, 2016/08

http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms12519

RENiO (RE = rare-earth element) and VO are archetypal Mott insulator systems. When tuned by chemical substitution (RENiO) or pressure (VO), they exhibit a quantum phase transition (QPT) between an antiferromagnetic Mott insulating state and a paramagnetic metallic state. Because novel physics often appears near a Mott QPT, the details of this transition, such as whether it is first or second order, are important. Here, we demonstrate through muon spin relaxation/rotation experiments that the QPT in RENiO and VO is first order: the magnetically ordered volume fraction decreases to zero at the QPT, resulting in a broad region of intrinsic phase separation, while the ordered magnetic moment retains its full value until it is suddenly destroyed at the QPT. These findings bring to light a surprising universality of the pressure-driven Mott transition, revealing the importance of phase separation and calling for further investigation into the nature of quantum fluctuations underlying the transition.

Observation of temperature-gradient-induced magnetization

Hou, D.*; Qiu, Z.*; 井口 亮*; 佐藤 浩司*; Vehstedt, E. K.*; 内田 健一*; Bauer, G. E. W.*; 齊藤 英治

Nature Communications (Internet), 7, p.12265_1 - 12265_6, 2016/07

http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms12265

Applying magnetic fields has been the method of choice to magnetize non-magnetic materials, but they are difficult to focus. The magneto-electric effect and voltage-induced magnetization generate magnetization by applied electric fields, but only in special compounds or heterostructures. Here we demonstrate that a simple metal such as gold can be magnetized by a temperature gradient or magnetic resonance when in contact with a magnetic insulator by observing an anomalous Hall-like effect, which directly proves the breakdown of time-reversal symmetry. Such Hall measurements give experimental access to the spectral spin Hall conductance of the host metal, which is closely related to other spin caloritronics phenomena such as the spin Nernst effect and serves as a reference for theoretical calculation.

Carrier-mediated ferromagnetism in the magnetic topological insulator Cr-doped (Sb,Bi)Te

Ye, M.*; Li, W.*; Zhu, S.-Y.*; 竹田 幸治; 斎藤 祐児; Wang, J.*; Pan, H.*; Nurmamat, M.*; 角田 一樹*; Ji, F.*; et al.

Nature Communications (Internet), 6, p.8913_1 - 8913_7, 2015/11

AA2015-0647.pdf:0.64MB

http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms9913

磁性元素を添加したトポロジカル絶縁体は、量子異常ホール効果や無散逸伝導などの魅力的な現象の発現が予言され、低消費電力スピンデバイスの開発につながっていくものと期待されている。既に、いくつかの磁性添加トポロジカル絶縁体で長距離磁気秩序が確認されている。しかし、量子異常ホール効果の発現は、極低温におけるCrを添加した(Sb,Bi)Te系に限られており、強磁性の微視的な起源はほとんど分かっていない。そこで、今回、X線磁気円二色性実験による元素選択的研究を行うことにより、本物質系の強磁性は、母体の正孔キャリアーを媒介としたものであり、Crの3d電子とSbやTeのp電子の相互作用が極めて重要であることを明らかにした。この結果は、異常量子ホール素子の実現に向けても重要である。

Generation of spin currents by surface plasmon resonance

内田 健一*; 安立 裕人; 菊池 大介*; 伊藤 俊*; Qiu, Z.*; 前川 禎通; 齊藤 英治

Nature Communications (Internet), 6, p.5910_1 - 5910_8, 2015/01

http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms6910

Surface plasmons, free-electron collective oscillations in metallic nanostructures, provide abundant routes to manipulate light; electron interactions that can localize light energy and alter electromagnetic field distributions at subwavelength scales. The research field of plasmonics thus integrates nano-photonics with electronics. In contrast, electronics is also entering a new era of spintronics, where spin currents play a central role in driving devices. However, plasmonics and spin-current physics have so far been developed independently. Here we report the generation of spin currents by surface plasmon resonance. Using Au nanoparticles embedded in Pt/BiYFeO bilayer films, we show that, when the Au nanoparticles fulfill the surface-plasmon-resonance conditions, spin currents are generated across the Pt/BiYFeO interface.