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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 685 records · Page 38
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Composite Fermi Liquid at Zero Magnetic Field in Twisted MoTe 2

Here, the pursuit of exotic phases of matter outside of the extreme conditions of a quantizing magnetic field is a long-standing quest of solid state physics. Recent experiments have observed spontaneous valley polarization and fractional Chern insulators in zero magnetic field in twisted bilayers of MoTe 2 , at partial filling of the topological valence band (ν =-2/3 and -3/5). We study the topological valence band at half filling, using exact diagonalization and density matrix renormalization group calculations. We discover a composite Fermi liquid (CFL) phase even at zero magnetic field that covers a large portion of the phase diagram near twist angle ~3.6°. The CFL is a non-Fermi liquid phase with metallic behavior despite the absence of Landau quasiparticles. We discuss experimental implications including the competition between the CFL and a Fermi liquid, which can be tuned with a displacement field. The topological valence band has excellent quantum geometry over a wide range of twist angles and a small bandwidth that is, remarkably, reduced by interactions. These key properties stabilize the exotic zero field quantum Hall phases. Finally, we present an optical signature involving “extinguished” optical responses that detects Chern bands with ideal quantum geometry.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2022

Ultrafast optical control of surface and bulk magnetism in magnetic topological insulator/antiferromagnet heterostructure

Abstract Optical control of the magnetic properties in topological insulator systems is an important step in applying these materials in ultrafast optoelectronic and spintronic schemes. In this work, we report the experimental observation of photo-induced magnetization dynamics in the magnetically doped topological insulator (MTI)/antiferromagnet (AFM) heterostructure composed of Cr-(Bi,Sb) 2 Te 3 /CrSb. Through proximity coupling to the AFM layer, the MTI displays a dramatically enhanced magnetism, with robust perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. When subjected to intense laser irradiation, both surface and bulk magnetism of the MTI are weakened by laser-induced heating of the lattice, however, at the surface, the deleterious heat effect is compensated by the strengthening of Dirac-hole-mediated exchange coupling as demonstrated by an unconventional pump-fluence-dependent exchange-bias effect. Through theoretical analyses, the sizes of exchange coupling energies are estimated in the MTI/AFM bilayer structure. The fundamentally different mechanisms supporting the surface and bulk magnetic order in MTIs allow a novel and distinctive photo-induced transient magnetic state with antiparallel spin configuration, which broadens the understanding of the magnetization dynamics of MTIs under ultrashort and intense optical excitation.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Topological excitonic insulator with tunable momentum order

Correlated topological materials often maintain a delicate balance among physical symmetries. Many topological orders are symmetry protected, whereas most correlated phenomena arise from spontaneous symmetry breaking. Cases where symmetry breaking induces a non-trivial topological phase are rare. Here we demonstrate the presence of two such phases in Ta 2 Pd 3 Te 5 , where Coulomb interactions form excitons that condense below 100 K, one with zero and the other with finite momentum. We observed a full spectral bulk gap, which stems from exciton condensation. This topological excitonic insulator state spontaneously breaks mirror symmetries but involves a weak structural coupling. Scanning tunnelling microscopy shows gapless boundary modes in the bulk insulating phase. Their magnetic field response, together with theoretical modelling, indicates a topological origin. These observations establish Ta 2 Pd 3 Te 5 as a topological excitonic insulator in a three-dimensional crystal. Finally, our results manifest a unique sequence of topological exciton condensations in a bulk crystal, offering exciting opportunities to study critical behaviour and excitations.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Tetrahedral triple-Q magnetic ordering and large spontaneous Hall conductivity in the metallic triangular antiferromagnet Co 1/3 TaS 2

The triangular lattice antiferromagnet (TLAF) has been the standard paradigm of frustrated magnetism for several decades. The most common magnetic ordering in insulating TLAFs is the 120° structure. However, a new triple-Q chiral ordering can emerge in metallic TLAFs, representing the short wavelength limit of magnetic skyrmion crystals. We report the metallic TLAF Co 1 / 3 TaS 2 as the first example of tetrahedral triple-Q magnetic ordering with the associated topological Hall effect (non-zero σ xy (H = 0)). We also present a theoretical framework that describes the emergence of this magnetic ground state, which is further supported by the electronic structure measured by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. Additionally, our measurements of the inelastic neutron scattering cross section are consistent with the calculated dynamical structure factor of the tetrahedral triple-Q state.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2018

Raman Scattering as a Probe of the Magnetic State of BEDT-TTF Based Mott Insulators

Quasi-two-dimensional Mott insulators based on BEDT-TTF molecules have recently demonstrated a variety of exotic states, which originate from electron-electron correlations and geometrical frustration of the lattice. Among those states are a triangular S = 1/2 spin liquid and quantum dipole liquid. Here in this article, we show the power of Raman scattering technique to characterize magnetic and electronic excitations of these states. Our results demonstrate a distinction between a spectrum of magnetic excitations in a simple Mott insulator with antiferromagnetic interactions, and a spectrum of an insulator with an additional on-site charge degree of freedom.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Magnetic Switching in Monolayer 2D Diluted Magnetic Semiconductors via Spin‐to‐Spin Conversion

Abstract The integration of 2D van der Waals (vdW) magnets with topological insulators or heavy metals holds great potential for realizing next‐generation spintronic memory devices. However, achieving high‐efficiency spin–orbit torque (SOT) switching of monolayer vdW magnets at room temperature poses a significant challenge, particularly without an external magnetic field. Here, it is shown field‐free, deterministic, and nonvolatile SOT switching of perpendicular magnetization in the monolayer, diluted magnetic semiconductor (DMS), Fe‐doped MoS 2 (Fe:MoS 2 ) at up to 380 K with a current density of ≈7 × 10 4 A cm −2 . The in situ doping of Fe into monolayer MoS 2 via chemical vapor deposition and the geometry‐induced strain in the crystal break the rotational switching symmetry in Fe:MoS 2 , promoting field‐free SOT switching by generating out‐of‐plane spins via spin‐to‐spin conversion. An apparent anomalous Hall effect (AHE) loop shift at a zero in‐plane magnetic field verifies the existence of z spins in Fe:MoS 2 , inducing an antidamping‐like torque that facilitates field‐free SOT switching. This field‐free SOT application using a 2D ferromagnetic monolayer provides a new pathway for developing highly power‐efficient spintronic memory devices.

Chen, Siwei [Department of Mechanical Engineering ↗
DOE OSTI2018

Strain-induced high-temperature perovskite ferromagnetic insulator

Ferromagnetic insulators are required for many new magnetic devices, such as dissipationless quantum-spintronic devices, magnetic tunneling junctions, etc. Ferromagnetic insulators with a high Curie temperature and a high-symmetry structure are critical integration with common single-crystalline oxide films or substrates. So far, the commonly used ferromagnetic insulators mostly possess low-symmetry structures associated with a poor growth quality and widespread properties. The few known high-symmetry materials either have extremely low Curie temperatures (≤16 K), or require chemical doping of an otherwise antiferromagnetic matrix. Here we present compelling evidence that the LaCoO 3 single-crystalline thin film under tensile strain is a rare undoped perovskite ferromagnetic insulator with a remarkably high T C of up to 90 K. Both experiments and first-principles calculations demonstrate tensile-strain-induced ferromagnetism which does not exist in bulk LaCoO 3 . The ferromagnetism is strongest within a nearly stoichiometric structure, disappearing when the Co 2+ defect concentration reaches about 10%. Furthermore, significant impact of the research includes demonstration of a strain-induced high-temperature ferromagnetic insulator, successful elevation of the transition over the liquid-nitrogen temperature, and high potential for integration into large-area device fabrication processes.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Lifshitz metal–insulator transition induced by the all-in/all-out magnetic order in the pyrochlore oxide Cd{sub 2}Os{sub 2}O{sub 7}

We investigate the metal–insulator transition (MIT) of the osmium pyrochlore oxide Cd{sub 2}Os{sub 2}O{sub 7} through transport and magnetization measurements. The MIT and a magnetic transition to the all-in/all-out (AIAO) order occur simultaneously at 227 K. We propose a mechanism based on a Lifshitz transition induced by the AIAO magnetic order probably via strong spin–orbit couplings in the specific semimetallic band structure. It is suggested, moreover, that two observed puzzles, a finite conductivity near T = 0 and an emergence of weak ferromagnetic moments, are not bulk properties but originate at magnetic domain walls between two kinds of AIAO domains.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Behavior of the breathing pyrochlore lattice Ba 3 Yb 2 Zn 5 O 11 in applied magnetic field

The breathing pyrochlore lattice material Ba 3 Yb 2 Zn 5 O 11 exists in the nearly decoupled limit, in contrast to most other well-studied breathing pyrochlore compounds. As a result, it constitutes a useful platform to benchmark theoretical calculations of exchange interactions in insulating Yb 3+ magnets. Here we study Ba 3 Yb 2 Zn 5 O 11 at low temperatures in applied magnetic fields as a further probe of the physics of this model system. Experimentally, we consider the behavior of polycrystalline samples of Ba 3 Yb 2 Zn 5 O 11 with a combination of inelastic neutron scattering and heat capacity measurements down to 75 mK and up to fields of 10 T. Consistent with previous work, inelastic neutron scattering finds a level crossing near 3 T, but no significant dispersion of the spin excitations is detected up to the highest applied fields. Refinement of the theoretical model previously determined at zero field can reproduce much of the inelastic neutron scattering spectra and specific heat data. A notable exception is a low temperature peak in the specific heat at ~0.1 K. This may indicate the scale of interactions between tetrahedra or may reflect undetected disorder in Ba 3 Yb 2 Zn 5 O 11 .

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2024

La 0.6 Sr 0.4 CoO 3−δ Films Under Deoxygenation: Magnetic And Electronic Transitions Are Apart from The Structural Phase Transition

Abstract Topotactic phase transitions induced by changes in the oxygen vacancy concentration can largely alter the physical properties of complex oxides, including electronic and magnetic phases, while maintaining the structural integrity of the crystal lattice. An oxygen‐vacancy‐induced topotactic phase transition from perovskite (PV) to brownmillerite (BM) is achieved in epitaxial La 0.6 Sr 0.4 CoO 3−δ (LSCO) thin films. Two novel intermediate states with different oxygen content are identified by X‐ray diffraction, which involves a single‐phase reduced PV state and a mixed state of co‐existing PV and BM. The combination of depth‐sensitive polarized neutron reflectometry (PNR) and Rutherford backscattering (RBS) allows a quantitative determination of magnetization and the mean oxygen content in all states, revealing a continuous transition from La 0.6 Sr 0.4 CoO 2.97 to La 0.6 Sr 0.4 CoO 2.5 . BM formation is observed for an LSCO layer with an oxygen content of 2.67, while the magnetic and electronic transition already occurs for a layer with a higher oxygen content of 2.77 (and above) and in the absence of a BM signature. These results demonstrate that the physics of electronic metal‐to‐insulator transition (MIT), magnetic ferromagnet‐to‐non‐ferromagnet transition (FM‐to‐non‐FM), and structural PV‐to‐BM phase transition should be considered within the framework of separate but interrelated processes.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Evidence for spin swapping in an antiferromagnet

Antiferromagnetic insulators offer strategic advantages in spintronic applications because of their negligible stray fields and ultrafast magnetic dynamics. Control of their magnetization and readout of their magnetic state are essential for these applications but remain challenging. In this work, we report the electrical detection of room-temperature magnetization switching in the canted antiferromagnetic insulator LaFeO 3 , capped with a Pt or W overlayer. The observation of a large magneto-thermovoltage with an in-plane temperature gradient suggests that the mechanism is the swapping of spin currents in the antiferromagnet. This effect provides a sensitive electrical probe of the tiny net magnetization in the insulator, which can be manipulated by a magnetic field on the order of 10 mT. Our results highlight a new material class of insulating canted antiferromagnets for spintronics and spin caloritronics and suggests a method for the electrical readout of magnetic signals in an antiferromagnetic insulator. Electrical readout of the state of an antiferromagnet is an important goal for spintronic applications. Now, detection of the electrical voltage created by a thermal gradient in a canted antiferromagnet suggests a route for achieving this goal.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2022

Evidence of Magnon-Mediated Orbital Magnetism in a Quasi-2D Topological Magnon Insulator

Here, we explore spin dynamics in Cu(1,3-bdc), a quasi-2D topological magnon insulator. The results show that the thermal evolution of the Landé $\textit{g}$ factor ($\textit{g}$) is anisotropic: $g_{\text{in-plane}}$ decreases while $g_{\text{out-of-plane}}$ increases with increasing temperature $\textit{T}$. Moreover, the anisotropy of the $\textit{g}$ factor (Δ$\textit{g}$) and the anisotropy of saturation magnetization ($ΔM_s$) are correlated below 4 K, but they diverge above 4 K. We show that the electronic orbital moment contributes to the g anisotropy at lower $\textit{T}$, while the topological orbital moment induced by thermally excited spin chirality dictates the g anisotropy at higher $\textit{T}$. Our work suggests an interplay among topology, spin chirality, and orbital magnetism in Cu(1,3-bdc).

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Scaling behavior of the quantum phase transition from a quantum-anomalous-Hall insulator to an axion insulator

The phase transitions from one plateau to the next plateau or to an insulator in quantum Hall and quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) systems have revealed universal scaling behaviors. A magnetic-field-driven quantum phase transition from a QAH insulator to an axion insulator was recently demonstrated in magnetic topological insulator sandwich samples. Here, we show that the temperature dependence of the derivative of the longitudinal resistance on magnetic field at the transition point follows a characteristic power-law that indicates a universal scaling behavior for the QAH to axion insulator phase transition. Similar to the quantum Hall plateau to plateau transition, the QAH to axion insulator transition can also be understood by the Chalker–Coddington network model. We extract a critical exponent κ ~ 0.38 ± 0.02 in agreement with recent high-precision numerical results on the correlation length exponent of the Chalker–Coddington model at ν ~ 2.6, rather than the generally-accepted value of 2.33.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗