Strongly coupled phase transition in ferroelectric/correlated electron oxide heterostructures

We fabricated ultrathin ferroelectric/correlated electron oxide heterostructures composed of the ferroelectric Pb(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3 and the correlated electron oxide (CEO) La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 on SrTiO3 substrates by pulsed laser epitaxy. The hole accumulation in the ultrathin CEO layer was substantially modified by heterostructuring with the ferroelectric layer, resulting in an insulator-metal transition. In particular, our thickness dependent study showed that drastic changes in transport and magnetic properties were strongly coupled to the modulation of charge carriers by ferroelectric field effect, which was confined to the vicinity of the interface. Thus, our results provide crucial evidence that strong ferroelectric field effect control can be achieved in ultrathin (10 nm) heterostructures, yielding at least a 100,000-fold change in resistivity

Catalysis always degrades external quantum correlations

Catalysts used in quantum resource theories need not be in isolation and therefore are possibly correlated with external systems, which the agent does not have access to. Do such correlations help or hinder catalysis, and does the classicality or quantumness of such correlations matter? To answer this question, we first focus on the existence of a non-invasively measurable observable that yields the same outcomes for repeated measurements, since this signifies macro-realism, a key property distinguishing classical systems from quantum systems. We show that a system quantumly correlated with an external system so that the joint state is necessarily perturbed by any repeatable quantum measurement, also has the same property against general quantum channels. Our full characterization of such systems called totally quantum systems, solves the open problem of characterizing tomographically sensitive systems raised in [Lie and Jeong, Phys. Rev. Lett. 130, 020802 (2023)]. An immediate consequence is that a totally quantum system cannot catalyze any quantum process, even when a measure of correlation with its environment is arbitrarily low. It generalizes to a stronger result, that the mutual information of totally quantum systems cannot be used as a catalyst either. These results culminate in the conclusion that, out of the correlations that a generic quantum catalyst has with its environment, only classical correlations allow for catalysis, and therefore using a correlated catalyst is equivalent to using an ensemble of uncorrelated catalysts.Comment: 5+7 pages, 1 figure, Comments are welcom

Uniqueness of quantum state over time function

A fundamental asymmetry exists within the conventional framework of quantum theory between space and time, in terms of representing causal relations via quantum channels and acausal relations via multipartite quantum states. Such a distinction does not exist in classical probability theory. In effort to introduce this symmetry to quantum theory, a new framework has recently been proposed, such that dynamical description of a quantum system can be encapsulated by a static quantum state over time. In particular, Fullwood and Parzygnat recently proposed the state over time function based on the Jordan product as a promising candidate for such a quantum state over time function, by showing that it satisfies all the axioms required in the no-go result by Horsman et al. However, it was unclear if the axioms induce a unique state over time function. In this work, we demonstrate that the previously proposed axioms cannot yield a unique state over time function. In response, we therefore propose an alternative set of axioms that is operationally motivated, and better suited to describe quantum states over any spacetime regions beyond two points. By doing so, we establish the Fullwood-Parzygnat state over time function as the essentially unique function satisfying all these operational axioms.Comment: 5+4 pages, comments welcom

Effect of sintering temperature under high pressure in the uperconductivity for MgB2

We report the effect of the sintering temperature on the superconductivity of MgB2 pellets prepared under a high pressure of 3 GPa. The superconducting properties of the non-heated MgB2 in this high pressure were poor. However, as the sintering temperature increased, the superconducting properties were vastly enhanced, which was shown by the narrow transition width for the resistivity and the low-field magnetizations. This shows that heat treatment under high pressure is essential to improve superconducting properties. These changes were found to be closely related to changes in the surface morphology observed using scanning electron microscopy.Comment: 3 Pages including 3 figure

Charge states and magnetic ordering in LaMnO3/SrTiO3 superlattices

We investigated the magnetic and optical properties of [(LaMnO3)n/(SrTiO3)8]20 (n = 1, 2, and 8) superlattices grown by pulsed laser deposition. We found a weak ferromagnetic and semiconducting state developed in all superlattices. An analysis of the optical conductivity showed that the LaMnO3 layers in the superlattices were slightly doped. The amount of doping was almost identical regardless of the LaMnO3 layer thickness up to eight unit cells, suggesting that the effect is not limited to the interface. On the other hand, the magnetic ordering became less stable as the LaMnO3 layer thickness decreased, probably due to a dimensional effect.Comment: 17 pages including 4 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Anionic Depolymerization Transition in IrTe2

Selenium substitution drastically increases the transition temperature of iridium ditelluride (IrTe2) to a diamagnetic superstructure from 278 to 560 K. Transmission electron microscopy experiments revealed that this enhancement is accompanied by the evolution of nonsinusoidal structure modulations from q=1/5(101̄) to q=1/6(101̄) types. These comprehensive results are consistent with the concept of the destabilization of polymeric Te-Te bonds at the transition, the temperature of which is increased by chemical and hydrostatic pressure and by the substitution of Te with the more electronegative Se. This temperature-induced depolymerization transition in IrTe2 is unique in crystalline inorganic solids.open281