157 research outputs found

    Quantitative determination of bond order and lattice distortions in nickel oxide heterostructures by resonant x-ray scattering

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    We present a combined study of Ni KK-edge resonant x-ray scattering and density functional calculations to probe and distinguish electronically driven ordering and lattice distortions in nickelate heterostructures. We demonstrate that due to the low crystal symmetry, contributions from structural distortions can contribute significantly to the energy-dependent Bragg peak intensities of a bond-ordered NdNiO3_3 reference film. For a LaNiO3_3-LaAlO3_3 superlattice that exhibits magnetic order, we establish a rigorous upper bound on the bond-order parameter. We thus conclusively confirm predictions of a dominant spin density wave order parameter in metallic nickelates with a quasi-two-dimensional electronic structure

    Strain and composition dependence of the orbital polarization in nickelate superlattices

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    A combined analysis of x-ray absorption and resonant reflectivity data was used to obtain the orbital polarization profiles of superlattices composed of four-unit-cell-thick layers of metallic LaNiO3 and layers of insulating RXO3 (R=La, Gd, Dy and X=Al, Ga, Sc), grown on substrates that impose either compressive or tensile strain. This superlattice geometry allowed us to partly separate the influence of epitaxial strain from interfacial effects controlled by the chemical composition of the insulating blocking layers. Our quantitative analysis reveal orbital polarizations up to 25%. We further show that strain is the most effective control parameter, whereas the influence of the chemical composition of the blocking layers is comparatively small.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figure

    Probing Exfoliated Graphene Layers and Their Lithiation with Microfocused X-rays

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    X-ray diffraction is measured on individual bilayer and multilayer graphene single-crystals and combined with electrochemically induced lithium intercalation. In-plane Bragg peaks are observed by grazing incidence diffraction. Focusing the incident beam down to an area of about 10 μm × 10 μm, individual flakes are probed by specular X-ray reflectivity. By deploying a recursive Parratt algorithm to model the experimental data, we gain access to characteristic crystallographic parameters of the samples. Notably, it is possible to directly extract the bi/multilayer graphene c-axis lattice parameter. The latter is found to increase upon lithiation, which we control using an on-chip peripheral electrochemical cell layout. These experiments demonstrate the feasibility of in situ X-ray diffraction on individual, micron-sized single crystallites of few- and bilayer two-dimensional materials

    A 4-unit-cell superstructure in optimally doped YBa2Cu3O6.92 superconductor

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    Using high-energy diffraction we show that a 4-unit-cell superstructure, q0=(1/4,0,0), along the shorter Cu-Cu bonds coexists with superconductivity in optimally doped YBCO. A complex set of anisotropic atomic displacements on neighboring CuO chain planes, BaO planes, and CuO2 planes, respectively, correlated over ~3-6 unit cells gives rise to diffuse superlattice peaks. Our observations are consistent with the presence of Ortho-IV nanodomains containing these displacements.Comment: Corrected typo in abstrac

    Stripe orders in the extended Hubbard model

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    We study stripe orders of charge and spin density waves in the extended Hubbard model with the nearest-neighbor Coulomb repulsion V within the mean field approximation. We obtain V vs. T(temperature) phase diagram for the on-site Coulomb interaction U/t=8.0 and the filling n=0.8, here t is a nearest-neighbor transfer energy. Our result shows that the diagonal stripe spin density wave state (SDW) is stable for small V, but for large V the most stable state changes to a charge density wave-antiferromagnetic (CDW-AF) state. Especially we find at low temperature and for a certain range of value of V, a vertical stripe CDW-AF state becomes stable.Comment: LaTeX 9 pages, 17 figures, uses jpsj.st

    The Charge Ordered State from Weak to Strong Coupling

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    We apply the Dynamical Mean Field Theory to the problem of charge ordering. In the normal state as well as in the Charge Ordered (CO) state the existence of polarons, i.e. electrons strongly coupled to local lattice deformation, is associated to the qualitative properties of the Lattice Polarization Distribution Function (LPDF). At intermediate and strong coupling a CO state characterized by a certain amount of thermally activated defects arise from the spatial ordering of preexisting randomly distributed polarons. Properties of this particular CO state gives a qualitative understanding of the low frequency behavior of optical conductivity of NiNi perovskites.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, to be published in J. of Superconductivity (proceedings Stripes 98
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