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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 361 records · Page 20
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Spectroscopic evidence for the direct involvement of local moments in the pairing process of the heavy-fermion superconductor CeCoIn 5

The microscopic mechanism for electron pairing in heavy-fermion superconductors remains a major challenge in quantum materials. Some form of magnetic mediation is widely accepted with spin fluctuations as a prime candidate. A novel mechanism, “composite pairing” based on the cooperative two-channel Kondo effect directly involving the f -electron moments, has also been proposed for some heavy-fermion compounds including CeCoIn 5 . The origin of the spin-resonance peak observed in neutron-scattering measurements on CeCoIn 5 is still controversial and the corresponding hump-dip structure in the tunneling conductance is missing. This is in contrast to the cuprate and Fe-based high-temperature superconductors, where both characteristic signatures are observed, indicating spin fluctuations are likely involved in the pairing process. In this study, we report results from planar tunneling spectroscopy along three major crystallographic orientations of CeCoIn 5 over wide ranges of temperature and magnetic field. The pairing gap opens at T p ~ 5 K , well above the bulk T c = 2.3 K , and its directional dependence is consistent with d x 2 – y 2 symmetry. With increasing magnetic field, this pairing gap is suppressed as expected but, intriguingly, a gaplike structure emerges smoothly, increasing linearly up to the highest field applied. This field-induced gaplike feature is only observed below T p . The concomitant appearance of the pairing gap and the field-induced gaplike feature, along with its linear increase with field, indicates that the f -electron local moments are directly involved in the pairing process in CeCoIn 5 .

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2025

Low-energy electrodynamics and a hidden Fermi liquid in the heavy-fermion compound CeCoIn 5

We present time-domain THz spectroscopy of thin films of the heavy-fermion superconductor CeCoIn 5 . Below the ≈40 K Kondo coherence temperature, a narrow Drude-like peak forms, as a result of the 𝑓-orbital–conduction-electron hybridization and the formation of the heavy-fermion state. The complex optical conductivity is analyzed through a Drude model and extended Drude model analysis. Via the extended Drude model analysis, we measure the frequency-dependent scattering rate (1/𝜏) and effective mass (𝑚*/𝑚 𝑏 ). This scattering rate shows a linear dependence on temperature, which matches the dependence of the resistivity as expected. Nevertheless, the width of the low-frequency Drude peak itself that is set by the renormalized quasiparticle scattering rate (1/𝜏*=𝑚 𝑏 /𝑚*⁢𝜏) shows a 𝑇 2 dependence. This is the scattering rate that characterizes the relaxation time of the renormalized quasiparticles. In conclusion, this gives evidence for a Fermi liquid state, which in conventional transport experiments is hidden by the strong temperature dependent mass.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2019

Relaxing Kondo-screened Kramers doublets in CeRhSi 3

${\mathrm{CeRhSi}}_{3}$ is a superconductor under pressure coexisting with a weakly antiferromagnetic phase characterized by a Bragg peak at q → 0 = (~ 0.2,0,0.5) [N. Aso et al., J. Magn. Magn. Mater. 310, 602 (2007)]. The compound is also a heavy-fermion material with a large specific heat coefficient ${\gamma}=110$ mJ ${\mathrm{mol}}^{{-}1}{\mathrm{K}}^{{-}2}$ and a high Kondo temperature of ${T}_{K}=50$ K, indicating ${\mathrm{CeRhSi}}_{3}$ is in a strongly Kondo screened state. We apply high-resolution neutron spectroscopy to investigate the magnetic fluctuations in the normal phase, at ambient pressures, and at low temperatures. We measure a commensurate dynamic response centered around the Q → = (0,0,2) position that gradually evolves to $H{\sim}0.2$ with decreasing temperature and/or energy transfers. The response is broadened both in momentum and energy and is not reminiscent of sharp spin wave excitations found in insulating magnets where the electrons are localized. We parametrize the excitation spectrum and temperature dependence using a heuristic model utilizing the random-phase approximation to couple relaxing ${\mathrm{Ce}}^{3+}$ ground-state Kramers doublets with a Kondo-like dynamic response. With a Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida exchange interaction within the $ab$ plane and an increasing single-site susceptibility, we can qualitatively reproduce the neutron spectroscopic results in ${\mathrm{CeRhSi}}_{3}$ and, namely, the trade-off between scattering at commensurate and incommensurate positions. We suggest that the antiferromagnetic phase in ${\mathrm{CeRhSi}}_{3}$ is driven by weakly correlated relaxing localized Kramers doublets and that ${\mathrm{CeRhSi}}_{3}$ at ambient pressures is on the border between a Rudderman-Kittel-Yosida antiferromagnetic state and a Kondo-screened phase where static magnetism is predominately absent.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2022

Orbital selective Kondo effect in heavy fermion superconductor UTe2

Abstract Heavy fermion systems emerge from the collective Kondo effect, and their superconductivity can serve as a promising platform for realizing next-generation quantum technologies. However, it has been a great challenge to explore many-body effects in heavy fermion systems with ab-initio approaches. We computed the electronic structure of UTe 2 without purposive judgements, such as intentional selection of on-site Coulomb interaction and disregarding spin-orbit coupling. We show that U-5 f electrons are highly localized in the paramagnetic normal state, giving rise to the Kondo effect. It is also found that the hybridization between U-5 f and U-6 d predominantly in the orthorhombic a b -plane is responsible for the high-temperature Kondo effect. In contrast, the hybridization between U-5 f and Te-5 p along the c -axis manifests the Kondo scattering at a much lower temperature, which could be responsible for the low-temperature upturn of the c -axis resistivity. Our results show that the electron correlation in UTe 2 is orbital selective, which naturally elucidates the recent experimental observations of anomalous temperature dependence of resistivity. Furthermore, we suggest that the Kondo effect is suppressed at high pressure owing to weak localization of magnetic moments, which results from enhanced U-5 f electron hopping. Our discovery provides significant insight toward understanding anisotropic quantum behavior including selective re-entrant superconductivity in heavy fermion UTe 2 .

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2019

Fluctuations and magnetoresistance oscillations near the half-filled Landau level

We study theoretically the magnetoresistance oscillations near a half-filled lowest Landau level (ν = 1/2) that result from the presence of a periodic one-dimensional electrostatic potential. In this work, we use the Dirac composite fermion theory of Son, where the ν = 1/2 state is described by a (2 + 1)-dimensional theory of quantum electrodynamics. We extend previous work that studied these oscillations in the mean-field limit by considering the effects of gauge-field fluctuations within a large flavor approximation. A self-consistent analysis of the resulting Schwinger-Dyson equations suggests that fluctuations dynamically generate a Chern-Simons term for the gauge field and a magnetic field–dependent mass for the Dirac composite fermions away from ν = 1/2. We show how this mass results in a shift of the locations of the oscillation minima that improves the comparison with experiment. The temperature-dependent amplitude of these oscillations may enable an alternative way to measure this mass. This amplitude may also help distinguish the Dirac and Halperin, Lee, and Read composite fermion theories of the half-filled Landau level.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2018

Exact results on itinerant ferromagnetism and the 15-puzzle problem

Here, we apply a result from graph theory to prove exact results about itinerant ferromagnetism. Nagaoka’s theorem is extended to all nonseparable graphs except single polygons with more than four vertices by applying the solution to the generalized 15-puzzle problem, which studies whether the hole’s motion can connect all possible tile configurations. This proves that the ground state of a U →∞ Hubbard model with one hole away from the half filling on a two-dimensional honeycomb lattice or a three-dimensional diamond lattice is fully spin polarized. Furthermore, the condition of connectivity for N -component fermions is presented, and Nagaoka’s theorem is also generalized to SU( N )-symmetric fermion systems on nonseparable graphs.

15-puzzle↗
DOE OSTI2013

Quantum Quasicrystals of Spin-Orbit-Coupled Dipolar Bosons

We study quasi-two-dimensional dipolar Bose gases in which the bosons experience a Rashba spin-orbit coupling. We show that the degenerate dispersion minimum due to the spin-orbit coupling, combined with the long-range dipolar interaction, can stabilize a number of quantum crystalline and quasicrystalline ground states. Coupling the bosons to a fermionic species can further stabilize these phases. We estimate that the crystalline and quasicrystalline phases should be detectable in realistic dipolar condensates, e.g., dysprosium, and discuss their symmetries and excitations.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Boson Fermion Nuclei Energy Levels In The Third Period Of The Periodic Table Of Elements (Monograph No.5)

The boson fermion nucleus (BFN) energy level is shown for sodium, magnesium, aluminum, silicon, phosphorus, sulphur, chlorine, and argon. The BFN energy levels are compared to the energy levels in the shell nuclear model. Individual nucleon fermions in the BFN make minor contributions to the nucleus energy level. Nucleons rearrange into boson structures during stellar nucleosynthesis and condense into the lowest-level energy state. Deconstruction of the BFN structure and conversion to a shell or liquid-drop model brings about a higher energy state. This is not favored in nature.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2015

Experimental discovery of a topological Weyl semimetal state in TaP

Here, Weyl semimetals are expected to open up new horizons in physics and materials science because they provide the first realization of Weyl fermions and exhibit protected Fermi arc surface states. However, they had been found to be extremely rare in nature. Recently, a family of compounds, consisting of tantalum arsenide, tantalum phosphide (TaP), niobium arsenide, and niobium phosphide, was predicted as a Weyl semimetal candidates. We experimentally realize a Weyl semimetal state in TaP. Using photoemission spectroscopy, we directly observe the Weyl fermion cones and nodes in the bulk, and the Fermi arcs on the surface. Moreover, we find that the surface states show an unexpectedly rich structure, including both topological Fermi arcs and several topologically trivial closed contours in the vicinity of the Weyl points, which provides a promising platform to study the interplay between topological and trivial surface states on a Weyl semimetal’s surface. We directly demonstrate the bulk-boundary correspondence and establish the topologically nontrivial nature of the Weyl semimetal state in TaP, by resolving the net number of chiral edge modes on a closed path that encloses the Weyl node. This also provides, for the first time, an experimentally practical approach to demonstrating a bulk Weyl fermion from a surface state dispersion measured in photoemission.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2018

Observation of Double Weyl Phonons in Parity-Breaking FeSi

Condensed matter systems have now become a fertile ground to discover emerging topological quasiparticles with symmetry protected modes. While many studies have focused on fermionic excitations, the same conceptual framework can also be applied to bosons yielding new types of topological states. Motivated by Zhang et al.’s recent theoretical prediction of double Weyl phonons in transition metal monosilicides [Phys. Rev. Lett. 120, 016401 (2018)], in this paper we directly measure the phonon dispersion in parity-breaking FeSi using inelastic x-ray scattering. Finally, by comparing the experimental data with theoretical calculations, we make the first observation of double Weyl points in FeSi, which will be an ideal material to explore emerging bosonic excitations and its topologically nontrivial properties.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2016

Spectroscopic Imaging of Strongly Correlated Electronic States

The study of correlated electronic systems from high-T c cuprates to heavy-fermion systems continues to motivate the development of experimental tools to probe electronic phenomena in new ways and with increasing precision. In the past two decades, spectroscopic imaging with scanning tunneling microscopy has emerged as a powerful experimental technique. The combination of high energy and spatial resolutions provided by this technique reveals unprecedented detail of the electronic properties of strongly correlated metals and superconductors. This review examines specific experiments, theoretical concepts, and measurement methods that have established the application of these techniques to correlated materials. Here, a wide range of applications, such as the study of collective responses to single atomic impurities, the characterization of quasiparticle-like excitations through their interference, and the identification of competing electronic phases using spectroscopic imaging, are discussed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Quantum critical fluctuations in the heavy fermion compound Ce(Ni 0.935 Pd 0.065 ) 2 Ge 2

Electric resistivity, specific heat, magnetic susceptibility, and inelastic neutron scattering experi- ments were performed on a single crystal of the heavy fermion compound Ce(Ni 0.935 Pd 0.065 ) 2 Ge 2 in order to study the spin fluctuations near an antiferromagnetic (AF) quantum critical point (QCP). The resistivity and the specific heat coefficient for T ≤ 1 K exhibit the power law behavior expected for a 3D itinerant AF QCP (ρ(T) ~ T 3/2 and γ(T) ~ γ 0 - bT 1/2 ). However, for 2 ≤ T ≤ 10 K, the susceptibility and specific heat vary as log T and the resistivity varies linearly with temperature. Furthermore, despite the fact that the resistivity and specific heat exhibit the non-Fermi liquid behavior expected at a QCP, the correlation length, correlation time, and staggered susceptibility of the spin fluctuations remain finite at low temperature. We suggest that these deviations from the divergent behavior expected for a QCP may result from alloy disorder.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2017

Electronic structure of heavy fermion system CePt 2 In 7 from angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy

We have carried out high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission measurements on the Cebased heavy fermion compound CePt 2 In 7 that exhibits stronger two-dimensional character than the prototypical heavy fermion system CeCoIn 5 . Multiple Fermi surface sheets and a complex band structure are clearly resolved. We have also performed detailed band structure calculations on CePt 2 In 7 . The good agreement found between our measurements and the calculations suggests that the band renormalization effect is rather weak in CePt 2 In 7 . A comparison of the common features of the electronic structure of CePt 2 In 7 and CeCoIn5 indicates that CeCoIn 5 shows a much stronger band renormalization effect than CePt 2 In 7 . These results provide new information for understanding the heavy fermion behaviors and unconventional superconductivity in Ce-based heavy fermion systems.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Band Dependent Interlayer f -Electron Hybridization in CeRhIn 5

A key issue in heavy fermion research is how subtle changes in the hybridization between the 4 f (5 f ) and conduction electrons can result in fundamentally different ground states. CeRhIn 5 stands out as a particularly notable example: when replacing Rh with either Co or Ir, antiferromagnetism gives way to superconductivity. In this photoemission study of CeRhIn 5 , we demonstrate that the use of resonant angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy with polarized light allows us to extract detailed information on the 4 f crystal field states and details on the 4 f and conduction electron hybridization, which together determine the ground state. We directly observe weakly dispersive Kondo resonances of f electrons and identify two of the three Ce4 f $^{1}_{5/2}$ crystal-electric-field levels and band-dependent hybridization, which signals that the hybridization occurs primarily between the Ce 4 f states in the CeIn 3 layer and two more three-dimensional bands composed of the Rh 4 d and In 5 p orbitals in the RhIn 2 layer. Our conclusions allow us to connect the properties observed at elevated temperatures with the unusual low-temperature properties of this enigmatic heavy fermion compound.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2022

Dirac Fermion Cloning, Moiré Flat Bands, and Magic Lattice Constants in Epitaxial Monolayer Graphene

Tuning interactions between Dirac states in graphene has attracted enormous interest because it can modify the electronic spectrum of the 2D material, enhance electron correlations, and give rise to novel condensed-matter phases such as superconductors, Mott insulators, Wigner crystals, and quantum anomalous Hall insulators. Previous works predominantly focus on the flat band dispersion of coupled Dirac states from different twisted graphene layers. Here in this work, a new route to realizing flat band physics in monolayer graphene under a periodic modulation from substrates is proposed. Graphene/SiC heterostructure is taken as a prototypical example and it is demonstrated experimentally that the substrate modulation leads to Dirac fermion cloning and, consequently, the proximity of the two Dirac cones of monolayer graphene in momentum space. Theoretical modeling captures the cloning mechanism of the Dirac states and indicates that moiré flat bands can emerge at certain magic lattice constants of the substrate, specifically when the period of modulation becomes nearly commensurate with the ($\sqrt{3}$ x $\sqrt{3}$) R30° supercell of graphene. Our results show that epitaxial single monolayer graphene on suitable substrates is a promising platform for exploring exotic many-body quantum phases arising from interactions between Dirac electrons.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Pairing in half-filled Landau level

Pairing of composite fermions in half-filled Landau level state is reexamined by solving the BCS gap equation with full frequency dependent current–current interactions. Our results show that there can be a continuous transition from the Halperin–Lee–Read state to a chiral odd angular momentum Cooper pair state for short-range contact interaction. This is at odds with the previously established conclusion of first order pairing transition, in which the low frequency effective interaction was assumed for the entire frequency range. We find that even if the low frequency effective interaction is repulsive, it is compensated by the high frequency regime, which is attractive. We construct the phase diagrams and show that ℓ=1 angular momentum channel is quite different from higher angular momenta ℓ≥3. Remarkably, the full frequency dependent analysis applied to the bilayer Hall system with a total filling fraction ν=1/2 +1/2 is quantitatively changed from the previously established results but not qualitatively.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2025

Pauli potential formalism at finite temperature

At zero temperature, the Pauli potential—the functional derivative of the Pauli kinetic energy density functional—is the key to the accuracy of the orbital-free density functional theory (OFDFT) as it is supposed to capture all the effects associated with the Pauli exclusion principle. Here, we extend this concept to finite temperature by defining Pauli free energy and the modified Pauli free energy, both representing the natural generalizations of the Pauli term from zero- T to finite- T . We discuss their physical interpretation, the mathematical nuances, and the applicability, arguing that the modified Pauli potential should be used as an extension of the zero- T counterpart within the OF-DFT framework. Through analytical and numerical methods, we then analyze some of the exact properties concerning the modified Pauli free- and kinetic-energy terms and examine the temperature dependence of the modified Pauli potential.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗