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At least 91 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Experimental evidence that zinc impurities pin pair-density-wave order in La 2-x Ba x CuO 4

Both Zn doping and c-axis magnetic fields have been observed to increase the spin stripe order in La 2-x Ba x CuO 4 with x close to 1/8. For x = 0.095, the applied magnetic field also causes superconducting layers to decouple, presumably by favoring pair-density-wave order that consequently frustrates interlayer Josephson coupling. Here we show that introducing 1% Zn also leads to an initial onset of two-dimensional (2D) superconductivity, followed by 3D superconductivity at lower temperatures, even in zero field. Overall, we infer that the Zn pins pair-density-wave order locally, establishing the generality of such behavior.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2021

Implications of second harmonic generation for hidden order in Sr 2 CuO 2 Cl 2

Sr 2 CuO 2 Cl 2 (SCOC) is a model undoped cuprate with I4/mmm crystallographic symmetry, and a simple magnetic space group CAmca with associated magnetic point group mmm1'. However, recent second harmonic spectroscopy in the antiferromagnetic phase has challenged this picture, suggesting instead a magnetic point group 4/mm'm' that coexists with the antiferromagnetism and breaks the two orthogonal mirror planes containing the tetragonal c axis. Here, we analyze the symmetry of SCOC in light of the second harmonic results, and discuss possible ground states that are consistent with the data.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2021

Effect of the electronic charge gap on LO bond-stretching phonons in undoped La 2 CuO 4 calculated using LDA + U

Typical density-functional theory calculations that wrongly predict undoped cuprates to be metallic also predict Cu-O half- and full-breathing phonon energies that are significantly softer than observed, presumably because of weak on-site Coulomb repulsion on the Cu 3d orbitals. We used DFT+U calculations with antiferromagnetic supercells of La 2 CuO 4 to establish correlation between the on-site repulsion strength, tuned via adjusting the value of U, and phonon dispersions. Here, we find that breathing and half-breathing phonons reach experimental values when U is tuned to obtain the correct optical gap and magnetic moments. We demonstrate that using distorted supercells within DFT+U is a promising framework to model phonons in undoped cuprates and other perovskite oxides with complex, interrelated structural and electronic degrees of freedom.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Effect of radiation-induced defects on the superfluid density and optical conductivity of overdoped La 2 - x Sr x CuO 4

Using a combination of time-domain THz spectroscopy (TDTS) and mutual inductance measurements, we have investigated the low-energy electrodynamic response of overdoped La$_{2-x}$Sr$_x$CuO$_4$ films that have been exposed to ion irradiation. Films went through three rounds of irradiation (2, 4, and 6 $\times 10^{13}$ ions/cm$^2$) and mututal inductance and TDTS experiments were performed between each step. Together with the as-grown film, this gives four different levels of disorder. The transport scattering rate that is measured directly in the THz experiments is an approximately linear function of the radiation dose at all temperatures. This is consistent with a proportionate increase in elastic scattering from point-like 2D disorder. Here, in the superconducting state we find that the relation between T$_c$, the superfluid density, and the scattering rates are quantitatively at odds with the predictions based on the extant theory of Abrikosov-Gorkov-like pair breaking in a dirty d-wave superconductor. Increasing disorder causes only a small change in T$_c$ for the overdoped films, but the changes to the $\omega \sim 0$ superfluid density are much larger.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2022

Strongly-overdoped $\mathrm{La}$ 2- $_{x}$$\mathrm{Sr}$$_{x}$$\mathrm{CuO}$ 4 : Evidence for Josephson-coupled grains of strongly-correlated superconductor

The interpretation of how superconductivity disappears in cuprates at large hole doping has been controversial. To address this issue, here we present an experimental study of single-crystal and thin film samples of La 2-x Sr x CuO 4 (LSCO) with x ≥0.25. In particular, measurements of bulk susceptibility on LSCO crystals with x = 0.25 indicate an onset of diamagnetism at T c1 =38.5 K, with a sharp transition to a phase with full bulk shielding at T c2 =18 K, independent of field direction. Strikingly, the in-plane resistivity only goes to zero at T c2 . Inelastic neutron scattering on 0.25 crystals confirms the presence of low-energy incommensurate magnetic excitations with reduced strength compared to lower doping levels. The ratio of the spin gap to T c2 is anomalously large. Our results are consistent with a theoretical prediction for strongly overdoped cuprates by Spivak, Oreto, and Kivelson, in which superconductivity initially develops within disconnected self-organized grains characterized by a reduced hole concentration, with bulk superconductivity occurring only after superconductivity is induced by proximity effect in the surrounding medium of higher hole concentration. Beyond the superconducting-to-metal transition, local differential conductance measurements on an LSCO thin film suggest that regions with pairing correlations survive, but are too dilute to support superconducting order. Future experiments will be needed to test the degree to which these results apply to overdoped cuprates in general.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

Two types of superconducting pairs in stripe-ordered La 2 - x Ba x CuO 4 ( x = 1 / 8 ) : Evidence from resistivity measurements

Recent angle-resolved c-axis resistivity measurements of the stripe-ordered La 2-x Ba x CuO 4 (LBCO) with x = 1/8 revealed an unexpected dependence on the direction of the in-plane magnetic field. We argue that these and other available data for the c-axis transport point to the existence of superconducting pairs of two different types in the x = 1/8 LBCO below the stripe ordering temperature. The pairs of one type carry finite momentum and are confined to the Cu-O planes; the pairs of other type (probably the conventional d wave with zero momentum) propagate along narrow conducting channels traversing the sample in the c-axis direction. The evidence for this comes from the observed exponential temperature dependence of the c-axis resistivity ρ c (T ) which we attribute to the thermally excited slips of the superconducting phase and flux flows. We present a simple theory to fit the observed π/2-periodic dependence of ρ c on the direction of the in-plane magnetic field and the other data.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

Spin canting and lattice symmetry in La 2 CuO 4

While the dominant magnetic interaction in La 2 CuO 4 is superexchange between nearest-neighbor Cu moments, the pinning of the spin direction depends on weak anisotropic effects associated with spin-orbit coupling. The symmetry of the octahedral tilt pattern allows an out-of-plane canting of the Cu spins, which is compensated by an opposite canting in nearest-neighbor layers. A strong magnetic field applied perpendicular to the planes can alter the spin canting pattern to induce a weak ferromagnetic phase. In light of recent evidence that the lattice symmetry is lower than originally assumed, we take another look at the nature of the field-induced spin-rotation transition. Comparing low-temperature neutron diffraction intensities for several magnetic Bragg peaks measured in fields of 0 and 14 T, we find that a better fit is provided by a model in which spins rotate within both neighboring planes but by different amounts, resulting in a noncollinear configuration. Finally, this model allows a more consistent relationship between lattice symmetry and spin orientation at all Cu sites.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

Precise ${dd}$ excitations and commensurate intersite Coulomb interactions in the dissimilar cuprates YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7–y and La 2–x Sr x CuO 4

Using high-resolution extreme ultraviolet resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (EUVRIXS) spectroscopy at Cu M-edge, we observed the doping dependent spectral shifts of inter-orbital (${dd}$) excitations of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-y and La 2-x Sr x CuO 4 . With increasing hole doping level from undoped to optimally doped superconducting compositions, the leading edge of ${dd}$ excitations is found to shift towards lower energy loss in a roughly linear trend that is irrespective to the cuprate species. The magnitude of energy shift can be explained by including a 0.15 eV Coulomb attraction between Cu 3d(x 2 -y 2 ) electrons and the doped holes on the surrounding oxygens in the atomic multiplet calculations. Finally, the consistent energy shift between distinct cuprate families suggests that this inter-site Coulomb interaction energy scale is relatively material-independent, and provides an important reference point for understanding charge density wave phenomena in the cuprate phase diagram.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

Effective one-band models for the one-dimensional cuprate Ba 2-x Sr x CuO 3+δ

In this work, we consider a multiband Hubbard model H m for Cu and O orbitals in Ba 2-x Sr x CuO 3+δ similar to the three-band model for two-dimensional cuprates. The hopping parameters are obtained from maximally localized Wannier functions derived from ab initio calculations. Using the cell perturbation method, we derive both a generalized t–J model H tJ and a one-band Hubbard model H H to describe the low-energy physics of the system. H tJ has the advantage of having a smaller relevant Hilbert space, facilitating numerical calculations, while additional terms should be included in H H to accurately describe the multiband physics of H m . Using H tJ and the density matrix renormalization group method, we calculate the wave-vector-resolved photoemission and discuss the relevant features in comparison with recent experiments. In agreement with previous calculations, we find that the addition of an attractive nearest-neighbor interaction of the order of the nearest-neighbor hopping shifts the weight from the 3k F to the holon-folding branch. Kinetic effects also contribute to this process.

1-dimensional systems↗
DOE OSTI2024

Random fields from quenched disorder in an archetype for correlated electrons: The parallel spin stripe phase of La 1.6 – x Nd 0.4 Sr x CuO 4 at the 1/8 anomaly

The parallel stripe phase is remarkable both in its own right, and in relation to the other phases with which it coexists. Its inhomogeneous nature makes such states susceptible to random fields from quenched magnetic vacancies. Here we argue this is the case by introducing low concentrations of nonmagnetic Zn impurities (0%–10%) into La 1.6–x ⁢Nd 0.4⁢ Sr x ⁢CuO 4 (Nd-LSCO) with x=0.125 in single-crystal form, well below the percolation threshold of ~41% for a two-dimensional square lattice. Elastic neutron scattering measurements on these crystals show clear magnetic quasi-Bragg peaks at all Zn dopings. While all the Zn-doped crystals display order parameters that merge into each other and the background at ~68 K, the temperature dependence of the order parameter as a function of Zn concentration is drastically different. This result is consistent with meandering charge stripes within the parallel stripe phase, which are pinned in the presence of quenched magnetic vacancies. In turn it implies vacancies that preferentially occupy sites within the charge stripes, and hence that can be very effective at disrupting superconductivity in Nd-LSCO (x=0.125), and, by extension, in all systems exhibiting parallel stripes.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2024

Shallow core levels, or how to determine the doping and T c of Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8 + δ and Bi 2 Sr 2 CuO 6 + δ without cooling

In this study, determining the doping level in high-temperature cuprate superconductors is crucial for understanding the origin of superconductivity in these materials and for unlocking their full potential. However, accurately determining the doping level remains a significant challenge due to a complex interplay of factors and limitations in various measurement techniques. In particular, in Bi 2 Sr 2 CuO 6+δ and Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+δ , where the mobile carriers are introduced by non-stoichiometric oxygen δ, the determination has been extremely problematic. Here, we study the doping dependence of the electronic structure of these materials in angle-resolved photoemission and find that both the doping level, p, and the superconducting transition temeprature, T c can be precisely determined from the binding energy of the Bi 5d core-levels. The measurements can be performed at room temperature, enabling the determination of p and T c without cooling the samples. This should be very helpful for further studies of these materials

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2020

Strongly Correlated Charge Density Wave in La 2 – x Sr x CuO 4 Evidenced by Doping-Dependent Phonon Anomaly

The discovery of charge-density-wave-related effects in the resonant inelastic x-ray scattering spectra of cuprates holds the tantalizing promise of clarifying the interactions that stabilize the electronic order. In this paper, we report a comprehensive resonant inelastic x-ray scattering study of La 2 – x Sr x CuO 4 finding that charge-density wave effects persist up to a remarkably high doping level of x = 0.21 before disappearing at x = 0.25 . The inelastic excitation spectra remain essentially unchanged with doping despite crossing a topological transition in the Fermi surface. This indicates that the spectra contain little or no direct coupling to electronic excitations near the Fermi surface, rather they are dominated by the resonant cross section for phonons and charge-density-wave-induced phonon softening. We interpret our results in terms of a charge-density wave that is generated by strong correlations and a phonon response that is driven by the charge-density-wave-induced modification of the lattice.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2020

Enhanced Electron-Phonon Coupling for Charge-Density-Wave Formation in La 1.8-$x$ Eu 0.2 Sr $x$ CuO 4+$δ$

Charge density wave (CDW) correlations are prevalent in all copper-oxide superconductors. While CDWs in conventional metals are driven by coupling between lattice vibrations and electrons, the role of the electron-phonon coupling (EPC) in cuprate CDWs is strongly debated. Using Cu L 3 edge resonant inelastic x-ray scattering, we study the CDW and Cu-O bond-stretching phonons in the stripe-ordered cuprate La 1.8-x Eu 0.2 Sr x CuO 4+δ . In this work, we investigate the interplay between charge order and EPC as a function of doping and temperature and find that the EPC is enhanced in a narrow momentum region around the CDW ordering vector. By detuning the incident photon energy from the absorption resonance, we extract an EPC matrix element at the CDW ordering vector of M ≃ 0.36 eV , which decreases to M ≃ 0.30 eV at high temperature in the absence of the CDW. Our results suggest a feedback mechanism in which the CDW enhances the EPC which, in turn, further stabilizes the CDW.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

Prevailing Charge Order in Overdoped La 2 – x Sr x CuO 4 beyond the Superconducting Dome

The extremely overdoped cuprates are generally considered to be Fermi liquid metals without exotic orders, whereas the underdoped cuprates harbor intertwined states. Contrary to this conventional wisdom, using Cu L 3 -edge and O K-edge resonant x-ray scattering, we reveal a charge order (CO) correlation in overdoped La 2–x⁢ Sr x ⁢CuO 4 (0.35 ≤ x ≤0.6) beyond the superconducting dome. This CO has a periodicity of ~6 lattice units with correlation lengths of ~20 lattice units. It shows similar in-plane momentum and polarization dependence and dispersive excitations as the CO of underdoped cuprates, but its maximum intensity differs along the c direction and persists up to 300 K. This CO correlation cannot be explained by the Fermi surface instability and its origin remains to be understood. Finally, our results suggest that CO is prevailing in the overdoped metallic regime and requires a reassessment of the picture of overdoped cuprates as weakly correlated Fermi liquids.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2024

Evolution of the Magnetic Excitations in Electron-Doped La 2 - x Ce x CuO 4

Here we investigated the high energy spin excitations in electron-doped La 2-x Ce x CuO 4 , a cuprate superconductor, by resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) measurements. Efforts were paid to disentangle the paramagnon signal from non-spin-flip spectral weight mixing in the RIXS spectrum at Q ∥ =(0.6π,0) and (0.9π,0) along the (1 0) direction. Our results show that, for doping level x from 0.07 to 0.185, the variation of the paramagnon excitation energy is marginal. We discuss the implication of our results in connection with the evolution of the electron correlation strength in this system.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2025

Doping Dependence of 2-Spinon Excitations in the Doped 1D Cuprate Ba 2 ⁢CuO 3+δ

Recent photoemission experiments on the quasi-one-dimensional Ba-based cuprates suggest that doped holes experience an attractive potential not captured using the simple Hubbard model. This observation has garnered significant attention due to its potential relevance to Cooper pair formation in high-T c cuprate superconductors. To scrutinize this assertion, we examined signatures of such an attractive potential in doped 1D cuprates Ba 2 ⁢CuO 3+δ by measuring the dispersion of the 2-spinon excitations using Cu L 3 -edge resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS). Upon doping, the 2-spinon excitations appear to weaken, with a shift of the minimal position corresponding to the nesting vector of the Fermi points, q F . Notably, we find that the energy scale of the 2-spinons near the Brillouin zone boundary is substantially softened compared to that predicted by the Hubbard model in one dimension. Finally, such a discrepancy implies missing ingredients, which lends support for the presence of an additional attractive potential between holes.

1-dimensional spin chains↗
DOE OSTI2024

Observation of van der Waals phonons in the single-layer cuprate ( Bi , Pb ) 2 ( Sr , La ) 2 CuO 6 + δ

Interlayer van der Waals (vdW) coupling is generic in two-dimensional materials such as graphene and transition-metal dichalcogenides, which can induce very low-energy phonon modes. Using high-resolution inelastic hard x-ray scattering, we uncover the ultralow energy phonon mode along the Cu-O bond direction in the high- T c cuprate (Bi,Pb) 2 (Sr,La) 2 ⁢CuO 6+$\delta$ (Bi2201). The energy and full-width half-maximum (FWHM) of these modes are independent of temperature, while their intensity decreases with doping in accordance with an increasing c -axis lattice parameter. Here, we compare the experimental results to first-principles density functional theory simulations and identify the observed mode as a van der Waals phonon, which arises from the shear motion of the adjacent Bi-O layers. This shows that Bi-based cuprate has vibrational properties similar to graphene and transition-metal dichalcogenides, which can be exploited to engineer novel heterostructures.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Large response of charge stripes to uniaxial stress in La 1.475 Nd 0.4 Sr 0.125 CuO 4

The La-based "214"cuprates host several symmetry-breaking phases, including superconductivity, charge and spin order in the form of stripes, and a structural orthorhombic-to-tetragonal phase transition. Therefore these materials are an ideal system to study the effects of uniaxial stress onto the various correlations that pervade the cuprate phase diagram. We report resonant x-ray scattering experiments on La 1.475 Nd 0.4 Sr 0.125 CuO 4 (LNSCO-125) that reveal a significant response of charge stripes to uniaxial tensile stress of ~0.1GPa. These effects include a reduction of the onset temperature of stripes by ~50K, a 29-K reduction of the low-temperature orthorhombic-to-tetragonal transition, competition between charge order and superconductivity, and a preference for stripes to form along the direction of applied stress. Altogether, we observe a dramatic response of the electronic properties of LNSCO-125 to a modest amount of uniaxial stress.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗