Optical investigation of the metal-insulator transition in FeSb2FeSb_2

We present a comprehensive optical study of the narrow gap $FeSb_2$ semiconductor. From the optical reflectivity, measured from the far infrared up to the ultraviolet spectral range, we extract the complete absorption spectrum, represented by the real part $\sigma_1(\omega)$ of the complex optical conductivity. With decreasing temperature below 80 K, we find a progressive depletion of $\sigma_1(\omega)$ below $E_g\sim 280$ cm$^{-1}$, the semiconducting optical gap. The suppressed (Drude) spectral weight within the gap is transferred at energies $\omega>E_g$ and also partially piles up over a continuum of excitations extending in the spectral range between zero and $E_g$. Moreover, the interaction of one phonon mode with this continuum leads to an asymmetric phonon shape. Even though several analogies between $FeSb_2$ and $FeSi$ were claimed and a Kondo-insulator scenario was also invoked for both systems, our data on $FeSb_2$ differ in several aspects from those of $FeSi$. The relevance of our findings with respect to the Kondo insulator description will be addressed.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figure

Anisotropic in-plane optical conductivity in detwinned Ba(Fe1-xCox)2As2

We study the anisotropic in-plane optical conductivity of detwinned Ba(Fe1-xCox)2As2 single crystals for x=0, 2.5% and 4.5% in a broad energy range (3 meV-5 eV) across their structural and magnetic transitions. For temperatures below the Neel transition, the topology of the reconstructed Fermi surface, combined with the distinct behavior of the scattering rates, determines the anisotropy of the low frequency optical response. For the itinerant charge carriers, we are able to disentangle the evolution of the Drude weights and scattering rates and to observe their enhancement along the orthorhombic antiferromagnetic a-axis with respect to the ferromagnetic b-axis. For temperatures above Ts, uniaxial stress leads to a finite in-plane anisotropy. The anisotropy of the optical conductivity, leading to a significant dichroism, extends to high frequencies in the mid- and near-infrared regions. The temperature dependence of the dichroism at all dopings scales with the anisotropy ratio of the dc conductivity, suggesting the electronic nature of the structural transition. Our findings bear testimony to a large nematic susceptibility that couples very effectively to the uniaxial lattice strain. In order to clarify the subtle interplay of magnetism and Fermi surface topology we compare our results with theoretical calculations obtained from density functional theory within the full-potential linear augmented plane-wave method.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figure

Electronic Structure and Charge Dynamics of Huesler Alloy Fe2TiSn Probed by Infrared and Optical Spectroscopy

We report on the electrodynamics of a Heusler alloy Fe2TiSn probed over four decades in energy: from the far infrared to the ultraviolet. Our results do not support the suggestion of Kondo-lattice behavior inferred from specific heat measurements. Instead, we find a conventional Drude-like response of free carriers, with two additional absorption bands centered at around 0.1 and 0.87 eV. The latter feature can be interpreted as excitations across a pseudogap, in accord with band structure calculations.Comment: 3 pages, 4 figure

Giant phonon anomalies in the pseudo-gap phase of TiOCl

We report infrared and Raman spectroscopy results of the spin-1/2 quantum magnet TiOCl. Giant anomalies are found in the temperature dependence of the phonon spectrum, which hint to unusual coupling of the electronic degrees of freedom to the lattice. These anomalies develop over a broad temperature interval, suggesting the presence of an extended fluctuation regime. This defines a pseudo-gap phase, characterized by a local spin-gap. Below 100 K a dimensionality cross-over leads to a dimerized ground state with a global spin-gap of about 2$\Delta_{spin}\approx$~430 K.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, for further information see http://www.peter-lemmens.d

Effective-Medium Theory for the Normal State in Orientationally Disordered Fullerides

An effective-medium theory for studying the electronic structure of the orientationally disordered A3C60 fullerides is developed and applied to study various normal-state properties. The theory is based on a cluster-Bethe-lattice method in which the disordered medium is modelled by a three-band Bethe lattice, into which we embed a molecular cluster whose scattering properties are treated exactly. Various single-particle properties and the frequency-dependent conductivity are calculated in this model, and comparison is made with numerical calculations for disordered lattices, and with experiment.Comment: 12 pages + 2 figures, REVTeX 3.

Optical Properties of Heavy Fermion Systems with SDW Order

The dynamical conductivity $\sigma (\omega)$, reflectivity $R(\omega)$, and tunneling density of states $N(\omega)$ of strongly correlated systems (like heavy fermions) with a spin-density wave (SDW) magnetic order are studied as a function of impurity scattering rate and temperature. The theory is generalized to include strong coupling effects in the SDW order. The results are discussed in the light of optical experiments on heavy-fermion SDW materials. With some modifications the proposed theory is applicable also to heavy fermions with localized antiferromagnetic (LAF) order.Comment: 9 pages, 10 figure

Optical investigation of the metal-insulator transition in FeSb2

Abstract.: We present a comprehensive optical study of the narrow gap FeSb2 semiconductor. From the optical reflectivity, measured from the far infrared up to the ultraviolet spectral range, we extract the complete absorption spectrum, represented by the real part σ1(ω) of the complex optical conductivity. With decreasing temperature below 80K, we find a progressive depletion of σ1(ω) below Eg∼300 cm-1, the semiconducting optical gap. The suppressed (Drude) spectral weight within the gap is transferred at energies ω>Eg and also partially piles up over a continuum of excitations extending in the spectral range between zero and Eg. Moreover, the interaction of one phonon mode with this continuum leads to an asymmetric phonon shape. Even though several analogies between FeSb2 and FeSi were claimed and a Kondo-insulator scenario was also invoked for both systems, our data on FeSb2 differ in several aspects from those of FeSi. The relevance of our findings with respect to the Kondo insulator description will be addresse

Mitochondrial aminoacyl‐trna synthetase and disease: The yeast contribution for functional analysis of novel variants

In most eukaryotes, mitochondrial protein synthesis is essential for oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) as some subunits of the respiratory chain complexes are encoded by the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Mutations affecting the mitochondrial translation apparatus have been identified as a major cause of mitochondrial diseases. These mutations include either heteroplasmic mtDNA mutations in genes encoding for the mitochondrial rRNA (mtrRNA) and tRNAs (mttRNAs) or mutations in nuclear genes encoding ribosomal proteins, initiation, elongation and termination factors, tRNA‐modifying enzymes, and aminoacyl‐tRNA synthetases (mtARSs). Aminoacyl‐tRNA synthetases (ARSs) catalyze the attachment of specific amino acids to their cognate tRNAs. Differently from most mttRNAs, which are encoded by mitochondrial genome, mtARSs are encoded by nuclear genes and then imported into the mitochondria after translation in the cytosol. Due to the extensive use of next‐generation sequencing (NGS), an increasing number of mtARSs variants associated with large clinical heterogeneity have been identified in recent years. Being most of these variants private or sporadic, it is crucial to assess their causative role in the disease by functional analysis in model systems. This review will focus on the contributions of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the functional validation of mutations found in mtARSs genes associated with human disorders

Optical anisotropy in the electronic nematic phase of FeSe

At ambient pressure, FeSe undergoes a structural, tetragonal-to-orthorhombic, phase transition at Ts≃90 K without any magnetic ordering on further cooling. FeSe thus provides an arena for examining the nematic phase without the complications following the reconstruction of the Fermi surface due to the antiferromagnetic order within the orthorhombic state. We perform an optical-reflectivity investigation across the structural transition, as a function of uniaxial stress in order to detwin the specimen. These measurements reveal a hysteretic behavior of the anisotropic optical response to uniaxial stress for T≤Ts, which extends to energy scales of about 0.5 eV. The sign changes of the optical anisotropy between distinct energy intervals suggest a complex evolution of the polarized electronic structure in the nematic phase. The temperature dependence of the optical anisotropy for the fully detwinned specimen is furthermore acting as a proxy for the order parameter of nematicity