Pressure effect in the Kondo semimetal CeRu_4Sn_6 with nontrivial topology

Kondo semimetal CeRu_4Sn_6 is attracting renewed attention due to the theoretically predicted nontrivial topology in its electronic band structure. We report hydrostatic and chemical pressure effects on the transport properties of single-and poly-crystalline samples. The electrical resistivity ρ(T) is gradually enhanced by applying pressure over a wide temperature range from room temperature down to 25 mK. Two thermal activation gaps estimated from high-and low-temperature windows are found to increase with pressure. A flat ρ(T) observed at the lowest temperatures below 300 mK appears to be robust against both pressure and field. This feature as well as the increase of the energy gaps calls for more intensive investigations with respect to electron correlations and band topology.     

Formation of unusual Cr~(5+) charge state in CaCr_(0.5)Fe_(0.5)O_3 perovskite

A new oxide CaCr_(0.5)Fe_(0.5)O_3 was prepared under high pressure and temperature conditions. It crystallizes in a B-site disordered Pbnm perovskite structure. The charge combination is determined to be Cr~(5+)/Fe~(3+) with the presence of unusual Cr~(5+) state in octahedral coordination, although Cr~(4+) and Fe~(4+) occur in the related perovskites CaCrO_3 and CaFeO_3.The randomly distributed Cr~(5+) and Fe~(3+) spins lead to short-range ferromagnetic coupling, whereas an antiferromagnetic phase transition takes place near 50 K due to the Fe~(3+)–O–Fe~(3+) interaction. In spite of the B-site Cr~(5+)/Fe~(3+) disorder,the compound exhibits electrical insulating behavior. First-principles calculations further demonstrate the formation of CaCr_(0.5)~(5+)Fe_(0.5)~(3+)O_3 charge combination, and the electron correlation effect of Fe~(3+) plays an important role for the insulting ground state. CaCr_(0.5)Fe_(0.5)O_3 provides the first Cr~(5+) perovskite system with octahedral coordination, opening a new avenue to explore novel transition-metal oxides with exotic charge states.     

Effect of residual stress on nematic domains in BaFe_(2-x)Ni_xAs_2 studied by angular magnetoresistance

We have studied the angular magnetoresistance of iron pnictides BaFe_(2-x)Ni_xAs_2, which shows clear 180 degree periodicity as fitted by a cosine function. In the x = 0.065 sample, the phase of the two-fold symmetry changes 90 degrees above the tetragonal-to-orthorhombic structural transition temperature Ts. Since the phase at low temperature is associated with the rotation of orthorhombic domains by magnetic field, we show that even vacuum grease can push the presence of orthorhombic domains at temperatures much higher than Ts. Our results suggest that residual stress may have significant effects in studying the nematic orders and its fluctuations in iron pnictides.     

Nonlinear uniaxial pressure dependence of the resistivity in Sr_(1-x)Ba_xFe_(1.97)Ni_(0.03)As_2

Nematic order and its fluctuations have been widely found in iron-based superconductors. Above the nematic order transition temperature, the resistivity shows a linear relationship with the uniaxial pressure or strain along the nematic direction and the normalized slope is thought to be associated with nematic susceptibility. Here we systematically studied the uniaxial pressure dependence of the resistivity in Sr_(1-x)Ba_xFe_(1.97)Ni_(0.03)As_2, where nonlinear behaviors are observed near the nematic transition temperature. We show that it can be well explained by the Landau theory for the second-order phase transitions considering that the external field is not zero. The effect of the coupling between the isotropic and nematic channels is shown to be negligible. Moreover, our results suggest that the nature of the magnetic and nematic transitions in Sr_(1-x)Ba_xFe_2As_2 is determined by the strength of the magnetic-elastic coupling.     

重费米子材料中的反常物性

重费米子研究对探索强关联电子体系新奇量子现象的组织原则具有重要的意义。文章介绍了作者近年来对重费米子材料正常态反常性质的研究进展,揭示了重电子的普适温度演化行为和Fano干涉效应,为理解重费米子物理和探索非常规超导机理提供了新的思路。     

Hybridization Effects Revealed by Angle-Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy in Heavy-Fermion Ce_2IrIn_8

We utilize high-resolution resonant angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy(ARPES)to study the band structure and hybridization effect of the heavy-fermion compound Ce_2 IrIn_8.We observe a nearly flat band at the binding energy of 7 meV below the coherent temperature T_(coh)～40 K,which characterizes the electrical resistance maximum and indicates the onset temperature of hybridization.However,the Fermi vector and the Fermi surface volume have little change around T_(coh),which challenges the widely believed evolution from a hightemperature small Fermi surface to a low-temperature large Fermi surface.Our experimental results of the band structure fit well with the density functional theory plus dynamic mean-field theory calculations.     

重费米子超导与竞争序

与其他非常规超导系列相比, 重费米子超导体往往具有丰富多样的竞争序, 超导与各种竞争序相伴而生, 电子配对与反铁磁涨落、铁磁涨落、价态涨落、电四极矩涨落等量子临界涨落密切相关, 扩充了非常规超导的研究内容. 重费米子材料中的f电子往往同时参与超导与各种竞争序的形成, 表现出局域与巡游的二重性. 重费米子二流体理论为理解重费米子超导与竞争序的关系提供了新的思路.