Origin of the Spin-Orbital Liquid State in a Nearly J=0 Iridate Ba3ZnIr2O9

We show using detailed magnetic and thermodynamic studies and theoretical calculations that the ground state of Ba3ZnIr2O9 is a realization of a novel spin-orbital liquid state. Our results reveal that Ba3ZnIr2O9 with Ir5+ (5d(4)) ions and strong spin-orbit coupling (SOC) arrives very close to the elusive J = 0 state but each Ir ion still possesses a weak moment. Ab initio density functional calculations indicate that this moment is developed due to superexchange, mediated by a strong intradimer hopping mechanism. While the Ir spins within the structural Ir2O9 dimer are expected to form a spin-orbit singlet state (SOS) with no resultant moment, substantial frustration arising from interdimer exchange interactions induce quantum fluctuations in these possible SOS states favoring a spin-orbital liquid phase down to at least 100 mK

Probing magnetic ordering in air stable iron-rich van der Waals minerals

In the rapidly expanding field of two-dimensional materials, magnetic monolayers show great promise for the future applications in nanoelectronics, data storage, and sensing. The research in intrinsically magnetic two-dimensional materials mainly focuses on synthetic iodide and telluride based compounds, which inherently suffer from the lack of ambient stability. So far, naturally occurring layered magnetic materials have been vastly overlooked. These minerals offer a unique opportunity to explore air-stable complex layered systems with high concentration of local moment bearing ions. We demonstrate magnetic ordering in iron-rich two-dimensional phyllosilicates, focusing on mineral species of minnesotaite, annite, and biotite. These are naturally occurring van der Waals magnetic materials which integrate local moment baring ions of iron via magnesium/aluminium substitution in their octahedral sites. Due to self-inherent capping by silicate/aluminate tetrahedral groups, ultra-thin layers are air-stable. Chemical characterization, quantitative elemental analysis, and iron oxidation states were determined via Raman spectroscopy, wavelength disperse X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry measurements were performed to examine the magnetic ordering. These layered materials exhibit paramagnetic or superparamagnetic characteristics at room temperature. At low temperature ferrimagnetic or antiferromagnetic ordering occurs, with the critical ordering temperature of 38.7 K for minnesotaite, 36.1 K for annite, and 4.9 K for biotite. In-field magnetic force microscopy on iron bearing phyllosilicates confirmed the paramagnetic response at room temperature, present down to monolayers.Comment: 19 pages, 6 figure

Direct observation of a uniaxial stress-driven Lifshitz transition in Sr2RuO4

Funding: We gratefully acknowledge support from the European Research Council (Grant No. ERC-714193-QUESTDO), the Royal Society, EPSRC for PhD studentship support through grant number EP/L015110/1 (VS).Pressure represents a clean tuning parameter for traversing the complex phase diagrams of interacting electron systems, and as such has proved of key importance in the study of quantum materials. Application of controlled uniaxial pressure has recently been shown to more than double the transition temperature of the unconventional superconductor Sr2RuO4, leading to a pronounced peak in Tc versus strain whose origin is still under active debate. Here we develop a simple and compact method to passively apply large uniaxial pressures in restricted sample environments, and utilise this to study the evolution of the electronic structure of Sr2RuO4 using angle-resolved photoemission. We directly visualise how uniaxial stress drives a Lifshitz transition of the γ-band Fermi surface, pointing to the key role of strain-tuning its associated van Hove singularity to the Fermi level in mediating the peak in Tc. Our measurements provide stringent constraints for theoretical models of the strain-tuned electronic structure evolution of Sr2RuO4. More generally, our experimental approach opens the door to future studies of strain-tuned phase transitions not only using photoemission but also other experimental techniques where large pressure cells or piezoelectric-based devices may be difficult to implement.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Dataset for "Spatial periodicities inside the Talbot effect: understanding, control and applications for lithography"

This dataset contains the data used to create the figures within the article "Spatial periodicities inside the Talbot effect: understanding, control and applications for lithography" by Pierre Chausse and Philip Shields. The data comprises one-dimensional and two-dimensional data showing the spatial variation of the light intensity behind grating masks that are illuminated with collimated 375 nm optical radiation. The grating mask period has been varied from 600 nm to 1200 nm

Dataset for "Influence of MOVPE environment on the selective area thermal etching of GaN nanohole arrays"

This dataset contains scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of various selective area thermal etching (SATE) experiments. SiN circular nano-opening are created via Displacement Talbot Lithography and Inductively coupled plasma dry etching. Then thermal etching is performed for various conditions within a metal organic vapour phase epitaxy growth reactor to create highly organized GaN nanoholes