Spin-cluster glass state in U(Ga_(0.95)Mn_(0.05))_3

We report the study of a low temperature cluster glass state in 5% Mn-doped UGa_3 heavy fermion compound. This compound transforms from a paramagnetic state to a spin-cluster glass state, which is confirmed by measuring the dc susceptibility and magnetization. The ac susceptibility exhibits a frequency-dependent peak around Tf, which provides direct evidence of the cluster glass state. By analyzing the field-dependent magnetization and frequency-dependent ac susceptibility in detail, we deduce that this compound forms a spin-cluster glass state below T_f.     

Superconductivity of bilayer titanium/indium thin film grown on SiO_2/Si(001)

Bilayer superconducting films with tunable transition temperature(Tc) are a critical ingredient to the fabrication of high-performance transition edge sensors. Commonly chosen materials include Mo/Au, Mo/Cu, Ti/Au, and Ti/Al systems. Here in this work, titanium/indium(Ti/In) bilayer superconducting films are successfully fabricated on SiO_2/Si(001)substrates by molecular beam epitaxy(MBE). The success in the epitaxial growth of indium on titanium is achieved by lowering the substrate temperature to-150?C during indium evaporation. We measure the critical temperature under a bias current of 10 μA, and obtain different superconducting transition temperatures ranging from 645 m K to 2.7 K by adjusting the thickness ratio of Ti/In. Our results demonstrate that the transition temperature decreases as the thickness ratio of Ti/In increases.     

Anisotropic and mutable magnetization in Kondo lattice CeSb_2

We have systematically studied the behaviors of the resistivity and magnetization of CeSb_2 single crystals as a function of temperature and external field. Four anomalies in the resistivity/magnetization-versus-temperature curves are observed at low magnetic field. They are located at 15.5 K, 11.5 K, 9.5 K, and 6.5 K, corresponding to the paramagnetic–magnetically ordered state(MO), MO-antiferromagnetic(AFM), AFM–AFM, and AFM–ferromagnetic(FM) transitions, respectively.The anomaly at 9.5 K is only visible with H‖[010] by magnetic susceptibility measurements, indicating that the AFM–AFM transition only happens along [010] direction in ab-plane. The four magnetic transitions are strongly suppressed by high external field. Finally, the field-temperature phase diagrams of CeSb_2 with different orientations of the applied field in ab-plane are constructed and indicate the highly anisotropic nature of the magnetization of CeSb_2.     

Experimental Evidence of Topological Surface States in Mg_3Bi_2 Films Grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy

Nodal line semimetal(NLS) is a new quantum state hosting one-dimensional closed loops formed by the crossing of two bands. The so-called type-Ⅱ NLS means that these two crossing bands have the same sign in their slopes along the radial direction of the loop, which requires that the crossing bands are either right-tilted or left-tilted at the same time. According to the theoretical prediction, Mg_3Bi_2 is an ideal candidate for studying the type-Ⅱ NLS by tuning its spin-orbit coupling(SOC). High-quality Mg3 Bi2 films are grown by molecular beam epitaxy(MBE). By in-situ angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy(ARPES), a pair of surface resonance bands around the■ point are clearly seen. This shows that Mg_3Bi_2 films grown by MBE are Mg(1)-terminated by comparing the ARPES spectra with the first principles calculations results. Moreover, the temperature dependent weak anti-localization effect in Mg_3Bi_2 films is observed under magneto-transport measurements, which shows clear two-dimensional(2 D) e-e scattering characteristics by fitting with the Hikami–Larkin–Nagaoka model. Therefore, by combining with ARPES, magneto-transport measurements and the first principles calculations, this work proves that Mg_3Bi_2 is a semimetal with topological surface states. This paves the way for Mg_3Bi_2 to be used as an ideal material platform to study the exotic features of type-Ⅱ nodal line semimetals and the topological phase transition by tuning its SOC.     

在Au(111)表面酞菁单分子与钴原子可控金属化反应

本文利用低温扫描隧道显微术和第一性原理计算研究了吸附在Au(111)表面的酞菁分子(H₂Pc)与Co原子在单分子水平上的金属化反应过程. 通过扫描探针的操纵手段,以可控的方式原位实现了单个H₂Pc分子与钴原子反应生成CoPc的金属化酞菁产物,揭示出源于H₂Pc和Co原子的π-d相互作用的中间过程. 结合第一性原理计算和中间产物的图像模拟,进一步阐明了这一氧化还原反应中成键和断键的关键机制,即脱氢和金属化过程并非由Co原子和吡咯环的H作用所致,而与Co原子和吡咯环上的N原子之间的作用有关.     

Effect of f-c hybridization on the $\gamma\to \alpha$ phase transition of cerium studied by lanthanum doping

The hybridization between the localized 4f level (f) with conduction (c) electrons in $\gamma $-Ce upon cooling has been previously revealed in single crystalline thin films experimentally and theoretically, whereas its influence on the $\gamma \to \alpha $ phase transition was not explicitly verified, due to the fact that the phase transition happened in the bulk-layer, leaving the surface in the $\gamma $ phase. Here in our work, we circumvent this issue by investigating the effect of alloying addition of La on Ce, by means of crystal structure, electronic transport and angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements, together with a phenomenological periodic Anderson model and a modified Anderson impurity model. Our current researches indicate that the weakening of f-c hybridization is the major factor in the suppression of $\gamma \to \alpha $ phase transition by La doping. The consistency of our results with the effects of other rare earth and actinide alloying additions on the $\gamma \to \alpha $ phase transition of Ce is also discussed. Our work demonstrates the importance of the interaction between f and c electrons in understanding the unconventional phase transition in Ce, which is intuitive for further researches on other rare earth and actinide metals and alloys with similar phase transition behaviors.     

CeO2(111)和CeO2(100)的界面调控合成及在Pt(111)上的结构转变

氧化铈基催化材料在催化反应中存在显著的晶面效应,为了在分子尺度上理解其催化化学,需要可控合成具有明确表面结构的氧化铈.因此,我们研究了Pt(111)上氧化铈纳米结构和薄膜的生长.人们通常使用金属-氧化物之间的强相互作用来解释Pt/CeO_x催化剂上的催化过程,然而对于Pt与CeO_x之间的强相互作用仍旧缺乏原子尺度上的了解.我们的结果表明, Pt与氧化铈之间的相互作用可以影响氧化铈的表界面结构,这可能会进而影响Pt/CeO_x催化剂的性质.在Pt(111)上生长的氧化铈薄膜通常暴露CeO_2(111)表面.我们发现Pt(111)表面厚度在三层以内的氧化铈薄膜,其结构是高度动态且随着退火温度升高而变化的,这种动态结构变化可归因于Pt和氧化铈间的界面电子作用.当氧化铈薄膜的厚度增大到三层以上,其负载的氧化铈团簇开始表现出迥异于三层以下氧化铈纳米岛的优异的热稳定性,表明Pt与CeO_x之间的界面电子作用主要影响厚度在三层以内的氧化铈纳米结构.采用常规的反应沉积方法难以获得完全覆盖Pt(111)衬底的规整氧化铈薄膜,而我们通过采取一种两步的动力学限制生长方法,制备出了完全覆盖Pt(111)衬底的氧化铈薄膜.对于Pt(111)上厚度约为3-4层的氧化铈薄膜,在超高真空中于1000 K退火会导致氧化铈薄膜表面形成CeO_2(100)结构.这是因为高温还原促进了c-Ce_2O_3(100)缓冲层的形成,该缓冲层被Pt的界面电子转移以及相匹配的超晶格所稳定,并进一步成为顶层CeO_2(100)结构生长的模板.进一步在900 K的氧气中处理则可将薄膜CeO_2(100)表面完全转变为CeO_2(111)表面.因此, Pt(111)上氧化铈纳米岛和薄膜所展现的结构动态变化是由Pt-CeO_x界面作用与氧化铈层间作用相互竞争所决定.本研究提供了对氧化铈负载Pt催化剂的原子级理解,虽然Pt/CeO_2催化剂活性增强的原因常被简单归结于界面强相互作用,我们的研究在原子尺度上进一步表明Pt/CeO_2在还原条件下易形成界面Ce_2O_3层.此外,本研究提供了不同晶面二氧化铈模型催化剂的构筑方法,可将对氧化铈晶面效应和Pt/CeO_x催化剂的研究推进到分子尺度.     

钴原子及其团簇在Rh(111)和Pd(111)表面的扫描隧道显微学研究

利用扫描隧道显微镜和扫描隧道谱(STM/STS)及单原子操纵,系统研究了单个钴原子(Co) 及其团簇在Rh (111)和Pd (111)两种表面的吸附和自旋电子输运性质. 发现单个Co原子在Rh (111)上有两种不同的稳定吸附位,分别对应于hcp和fcc空位, 他们的高度明显不同,在针尖的操纵下单个Co原子可以在两种吸附位之间相互转化. 在这两种吸附位的单个Co原子的STS谱的费米面附近都存在很显著的峰形结构, 经分析认为Rh (111)表面单个Co原子处于混价区,因此这一峰结构是d轨道共振 和近藤共振共同作用的结果.对于Rh (111)表面上的Co原子二聚体和三聚体, 其费米面附近没有观测到显著的峰,这可能是由于原子间磁交换相互作用 和原子间轨道杂化引起的体系态密度改变所共同导致.与Rh (111)表面不同, 在Pd (111)表面吸附的单个Co原子则表现出均一的高度.并且对于Pd (111)表面所有 单个Co原子及其二聚体和三聚体,在其STS谱的费米面附近均未探测到显著的电子结构, 表明Co原子吸附于Pd (111)表面具有与Rh (111)表面上不同的原子-衬底相互作用与自旋电子输运性质.