0000000000005297
AUTHOR
Martin Jourdan
Evidence for eight node mixed-symmetry superconductivity in a correlated organic metal
We report a combined theoretical and experimental investigation of the superconducting state in the quasi-two-dimensional organic superconductor $\kappa$-(ET)$_2$Cu[N(CN)$_2$]Br. Applying spin-fluctuation theory to a low-energy material-specific Hamiltonian derived from ab initio density functional theory we calculate the quasiparticle density of states in the superconducting state. We find a distinct three-peak structure that results from a strongly anisotropic mixed-symmetry superconducting gap with eight nodes and twofold rotational symmetry. This theoretical prediction is supported by low-temperature scanning tunneling spectroscopy on in situ cleaved single crystals of $\kappa$-(ET)$_2$…
Magnetic tunneling junctions with the Heusler compound
Abstract Certain Heusler phases belong to the materials which are discussed as potential half metals. Here, results of tunneling experiments with the full-Heusler alloy Co 2 Cr 0.6 Fe 0.4 Al are presented. The Heusler alloy is used as an electrode of magnetic tunneling junctions. The junctions are deposited by magnetron DC sputtering using shadow mask techniques with AlO x as a barrier and cobalt as counter electrode. Measurements of the magnetoresistive differential conductivity in a temperature range between 4 and 300 K are shown. An analysis of the barrier properties applying the Simmons model to the bias dependent junction conductivity is performed. VSM measurements were carried out to …
Probing the superconducting state of UPd2Al3 thin films by tunneling spectroscopy
Abstract Giaever-type planar cross junctions of thin films of the heavy fermion superconductor UPd2Al3 and counter-electrodes of Au, Ag and Al were prepared. Tunneling barriers consisting of the native oxide layer of UPd2Al3 and artificial barriers of AlOx and UOx were investigated. The junctions without artificial barrier show a lack of reproducebility. On some junctions a BCS-like tunneling conductivity with a ratio of 2Δ 0 /k B T c ⋍ 3.8 was observed. Using oxidized Al deposited at room temperature as a barrier no substantial increase of the junction resistance occured. With Uraniumoxide a much higher resistance was obtained, but an association of the bias dependent junction conductivity…
Temperature and angular dependence of the upper critical field of UPd2Al3 thin films
Abstract Temperature and angular resolved measurements of the upper critical field Bc2 of UPd2Al3 thin films are presented and compared with new theoretical calculations for weak-coupling s- and d-wave superconductors in the clean limit. In order to take account of the observed anisotropy of the initial slopes near T c , B′ c 2 = −4.9 T/K for B ‖ c and B′ c 2 = −5.8 T/K for B ⊥ c , and the crossing of the phase boundaries in the temperature dependence of Bc2 near T ∗ ≈ 0.75 T/T c , the calculations include anisotropic orbital and paramagnetic pair breaking. Recent speculations upon the occurence of a non-uniform superconducting “Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov”-state are also considered an…
Dynamics of heavy fermions: Drude response in and
While the effective mass of heavy fermions governs their thermodynamics, the optical properties are dominated by the characteristic relaxation rate which is expected to scale inversely with the effective mass. At the relaxation rate clear features, the so-called Drude response occur in the real and imaginary parts of the complex conductivity. Conventional optical spectroscopy can only indirectly probe the Drude response; thus we use novel broadband microwave spectroscopy to directly measure the frequency-dependent conductivity of UPd2Al3 and UNi2Al3 in the relevant frequency range and unambiguously observe the full low-energy electrodynamics of the heavy fermions including the Drude respons…
Disorder-induced gap in the normal density of states of the organic superconductorκ-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu[N(CN)2]Br
The local density of states (DOS) of the organic superconductor κ-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu[N(CN)2]Br, measured by scanning tunneling spectroscopy on in situ cleaved surfaces, reveals a logarithmic suppression near the Fermi edge persisting above the critical temperature T(c). The experimentally observed suppression of the DOS is in excellent agreement with a soft Hubbard gap as predicted by the Anderson-Hubbard model for systems with disorder. The electronic disorder also explains the diminished coherence peaks of the quasi-particle DOS below T(c).
Exchange bias in epitaxial Mn2Au (0 0 1)/Fe (0 0 1) bilayers
High quality epitaxial Mn 2 Au (001) thin films grown by molecular beam epitaxy
The recently discovered phenomenon of Neel spin–orbit torque in antiferromagnetic Mn2Au [Bodnar et al., Nat. Commun. 9, 348 (2018); Meinert et al., Phys. Rev. Appl. 9, 064040 (2018); Bodnar et al., Phys. Rev. B 99, 140409(R) (2019)] has generated huge interest in this material for spintronics applications. In this paper, we report the preparation and characterization of high quality Mn2Au thin films by molecular beam epitaxy and compare them with magnetron sputtered samples. The films were characterized for their structural and morphological properties using reflective high-energy electron diffraction, x-ray diffraction, x-ray reflectometry, atomic force microscopy, and temperature dependen…
Direct observation of half-metallicity in the Heusler compound $Co_{2}MnSi$
Ferromagnetic thin films of Heusler compounds are highly relevant for spintronic applications owing to their predicted half-metallicity, that is, 100% spin polarization at the Fermi energy. However, experimental evidence for this property is scarce. Here we investigate epitaxial thin films of the compound Co2MnSi in situ by ultraviolet-photoemission spectroscopy, taking advantage of a novel multi-channel spin filter. By this surface sensitive method, an exceptionally large spin polarization of () % at room temperature is observed directly. As a more bulk sensitive method, additional ex situ spin-integrated high energy X-ray photoemission spectroscopy experiments are performed. All experimen…
Correlation of local disorder and electronic properties in the Heusler alloy Co2Cr0.6Fe0.4Al
For the fully ordered Heusler alloy Co2Cr0.6Fe0.4Al half-metallic ferromagnetism has been predicted. Local disorder other than the Al–Cr/Fe (B2)-type disorder is known to destroy the half-metallic bandgap. The usage of appropriate buffer layers improves the structural quality of thin films. We correlate the structural properties of thin magnetron sputtered films determined by x-ray diffraction with details of the x-ray magnetic circular dichroism spectra. From the value of the magnetic moment located at the Cr atom and features of the Co absorption spectra we conclude that the buffer layers lead also to an improvement in the local atomic order. The atomic ordering gradually approaches the l…
Microwave spectroscopy on heavy-fermion systems: probing the dynamics of charges and magnetic moments
Investigating solids with light gives direct access to charge dynamics, electronic and magnetic excitations. For heavy fermions, one has to adjust the frequency of the probing light to the small characteristic energy scales, leading to spectroscopy with microwaves. We review general concepts of the frequency-dependent conductivity of heavy fermions, including the slow Drude relaxation and the transition to a superconducting state, which we also demonstrate with experimental data taken on UPd2Al3. We discuss the optical response of a Fermi liquid and how it might be observed in heavy fermions. Microwave studies with focus on quantum criticality in heavy fermions concern the charge response, …
Preparation and Investigation of Interfaces of Co2Cr1−x Fe x Al Thin Films
In the framework of spin polarization investigations of Heusler compounds by the measurement of the magnetoresistance (TMR) of tunneling junctions with AlO x barrier special emphasis is put on the role of the interfaces.
Transport anisotropy and of thin films
Abstract The resistivity R ( T ) of superconducting UNi 2 Al 3 thin films shows a pronounced dependence on the current direction. Specifically, the superconducting transition temperature T c is directional dependent as well as the influence of the magnetic ordering on the transport properties. Also the upper critical field B c 2 ( Θ , T ) is moderately influenced by the probe current direction. These anisotropies are discussed in the framework of multiband superconductivity. The initial slope of the upper critical field B c 2 ′ ( T ) provides evidence for a spin singlet state.
Coupling of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic spin dynamics in Mn$_{2}$Au/NiFe thin-film bilayers
We investigate magnetization dynamics of Mn$_{2}$Au/Py (Ni$_{80}$Fe$_{20}$) thin film bilayers using broadband ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) and Brillouin light scattering spectroscopy. Our bilayers exhibit two resonant modes with zero-field frequencies up to almost 40 GHz, far above the single-layer Py FMR. Our model calculations attribute these modes to the coupling of the Py FMR and the two antiferromagnetic resonance (AFMR) modes of Mn2Au. The coupling-strength is in the order of 1.6 T$\cdot$nm at room temperature for nm-thick Py. Our model reveals the dependence of the hybrid modes on the AFMR frequencies and interfacial coupling as well as the evanescent character of the spin waves th…
Extremely slow Drude relaxation of correlated electrons
The electrical conduction of metals is governed by how freely mobile electrons can move throughout the material. This movement is hampered by scattering with other electrons, as well as with impurities or thermal excitations (phonons). Experimentally, the scattering processes of single electrons are not observed, but rather the overall response of all mobile charge carriers within a sample. The ensemble dynamics can be described by the relaxation rates, which express how fast the system approaches equilibrium after an external perturbation1,2,3. Here we measure the frequency-dependent microwave conductivity of the heavy-fermion metal UPd2Al3 (ref. 4), finding that it is accurately described…
Tunneling into epitaxial UPd2Al3 thin films
Abstract UPd2Al3–AlOx–Pb Giaever-type tunneling junctions were prepared employing an in vacuo process. The high junction quality is evident by the observation of the well-known superconducting density of states of the Pb counter electrode. For HPbc2
Tunneling junctions of the heavy-fermion superconductor UPd2Al3
Abstract Tunneling spectroscopy on planar Giaever-type junctions is a powerful tool for the investigation of the superconducting state of metals. Since it is possible to prepare high-quality epitaxial thin films of the heavy-fermion compound UPd 2 Al 3 , this method can be used to examine the energy gap of this presumably unconventional superconductor. We prepared cross-junctions consisting of a UPd 2 Al 3 base electrode and a metal counter electrode (Au, Al or Ag). These small area contacts without artificial barriers have only low junction resistances and suffer from irreproducibility. On the other hand, on some of those junctions we observed BCS-like tunneling conductivity. In order to i…
Ni-based superconductor: Heusler compoundZrNi2Ga
This work reports on the novel Heusler superconductor ZrNi2Ga. Compared to other nickel-based superconductors with Heusler structure, ZrNi2Ga exhibits a relatively high superconducting transition temperature of Tc=2.9 K and an upper critical field of 1.5 T. Electronic structure calculations show that this relatively high transition temperature is caused by a van Hove singularity, which leads to an enhanced density of states at the Fermi energy. The van Hove singularity originates from a higher order valence instability at the L-point in the electronic structure. The enhanced density of states at the Fermi level was confirmed by specific heat and susceptibility measurements. Although many He…
Frequency-dependent conductivity of UPd2Al3 films
The transmission of UPd2Al3 films was studied (4 K < T < 300 K) in the frequency range from 4 to 32 cm−1 by using a coherent source interferometer which allows for measuring both, amplitude and phase. In addition we report on radio frequency and optical measurements. Below 20 K the conductivity and dielectric constant show strong deviations from the behavior of a normal metal which cannot simply be explained by a single renormalized Drude model with an enhanced mass and reduced scattering rate. Instead, we find evidence for the opening of a pseudogap with a gap energy of 6 cm−1 and an extremely narrow ω = 0 mode which is responsible for the large DC conductivity.
Optical read-out of the N\'eel vector in metallic antiferromagnet Mn$_{2}$Au
Metallic antiferromagnets with broken inversion symmetry on the two sublattices, strong spin-orbit coupling and high N\'{e}el temperatures offer new opportunities for applications in spintronics. Especially Mn$_{2}$Au, with high N\'{e}el temperature and conductivity, is particularly interesting for real-world applications. Here, manipulation of the orientation of the staggered magnetization,\textit{\ i.e.} the N\'{e}el vector, by current pulses has been recently demonstrated, with the read-out limited to studies of anisotropic magnetoresistance or X-ray magnetic linear dichroism. Here, we report on the in-plane reflectivity anisotropy of Mn$_{2}$Au (001) films, which were N\'{e}el vector al…
Temperature dependence of x-ray absorption spectra in the ferromagnetic Heusler alloysMn2VAlandCo2FeAl
We investigate the temperature dependence of the spin-resolved unoccupied density of states (DOS) in ferromagnetic ${\text{Co}}_{2}\text{FeAl}$ and ferrimagnetic ${\text{Mn}}_{2}\text{VAl}$ epitaxial films on MgO(100) using x-ray magnetic circular dichroism. We observe an unexpected strong temperature dependence of the DOS beyond the change expected from the Fermi distribution function. An increase in spectral weight is observed for majority states below the Fermi energy in the case of ${\text{Mn}}_{2}\text{VAl}$ and for minority states above the Fermi energy in the case of ${\text{Co}}_{2}\text{FeAl}$. Reduced atomic order near the interface suppresses the unexpected temperature dependence…
Strain induced renormalization of transport properties in UPt3 thin films
The growth of sputter deposited UPt3 thin films on Al2O3 (1012), LaAlO3 (111) and SrTiO3 (111) was investigated. We found strongly 0001-textured growth of UPt3 in a small compositional range of 23–25% uranium content. For Al2O3-and LaAlO3-substrates no in-plane order could be observed whereas epitaxial growth was initiated on SrTiO3 (111): The growth can be identified as Vollmer-Weber like resulting in the formation of large lateral strain as a consequence of the growth mode and a lattice misfit of −4.3% between UPt3 (0001) and SrTiO3 (111). Strong deviations from the typical heavy-fermion characteristics in electronic transport properties like resistivity, magnetoresitivity and Hall-effect…
Superconductivity mediated by spin fluctuations in the heavy-fermion compound UPd2 Al3
It is well known that any weak attractive electron–electron interaction in metals can in principle cause the formation of Cooper pairs, which then condense into a superconducting ground state1. In conventional superconductors, this attractive interaction is mediated by lattice vibrations (phonons). But for the heavy-fermion and high-temperature superconductors, alternative pairing interactions are considered to be possible2. For example, the low-temperature properties of heavy-fermion systems are dominated by antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations, which have been considered theoretically3 as a possible cause for Cooper-pair formation. This picture recently received some experimental support: …
Towards a full Heusler alloy showing room temperature half-metallicity at the surface
In this article we investigate the surface spin polarization in a 100 nm Co2Cr0.6Fe0.4Al (CCFA) film grown ex situ epitaxially on MgO(100) with a 10 nm Fe buffer layer by means of spin resolved photoemission. We show that a careful in situ preparation of the sample surface leads to values for the room temperature spin polarization up to 45% at the Fermi level. To our knowledge, this is the highest value measured so far at the surface region of a full Heusler alloy at room temperature.
Epitaxy of thin films of the Heusler compound
Abstract Epitaxial thin films of the highly spin polarized Heusler compound Co 2 Cr 0.6 Fe 0.4 Al are deposited by DC magnetron sputtering. It is shown by XRD and TEM investigations how the use of an Fe buffer layer on MgO(1 0 0) substrates supports the growth of highly ordered Co 2 Cr 0.6 Fe 0.4 Al at low deposition temperatures. The as-grown samples show a relatively large ordered magnetic moment of μ ≃ 3.0 μ B / f . u . providing evidence for a low level of disorder.
Electronic properties of *-oriented thin films
Abstract To perform high precision measurements of the transport anisotropy, epitaxial, a *-oriented thin films of UPd 2 Al 3 have been prepared on LaAlO 3 (1 1 0) substrates. The critical temperature T c ≈ 1.75 K and the upper critical field B c 2 ≈ 3 T are comparable to typical bulk values. In contrast to UNi 2 Al 3 , we observed only a weak anisotropy in directional resistivity measurements, especially no dependence of the superconducting transition temperature on the direction of the applied current. Hall effect measurements show two characteristic minima at T = 16 K ≈ T N and T ≈ 6 K , which corresponds to features seen in earlier measurements on c *-oriented films.
Surface resonance of thin films of the Heusler half-metal Co2MnSi probed by soft x-ray angular resolved photoemission spectroscopy
Heusler compounds are promising materials for spintronics with adjustable electronic properties including 100% spin polarization at the Fermi energy. We investigate the electronic states of AlOx capped epitaxial thin films of the ferromagnetic half-metal Co2MnSi ex situ by soft x-ray angular resolved photoemission spectroscopy (SX-ARPES). Good agreement between the experimental SX-ARPES results and photoemission calculations including surface effects was obtained. In particular, we observed in line with our calculations a large photoemission intensity at the center of the Brillouin zone, which does not originate from bulk states, but from a surface resonance. This provides strong evidence f…
Strong-coupling effects in the heavy-fermion superconductor UPd2Al3
Abstract Recent results of superconducting tunneling spectroscopy on epitaxial thin films of the antiferromagnetic heavy-fermion superconductor UPd 2 Al 3 are presented. Strong-coupling effects in the tunneling density of states are analyzed within the framework of the anisotropic Eliashberg theory for a pair-coupling mechanism based on the exchange of antiferromagnetic spin excitations. The multi-sheeted Fermi surface of UPd 2 Al 3 is taken into account.
Band structure tuning of Heusler compounds: Spin- and momentum-resolved electronic structure analysis of compounds with different band filling
Physical review / B 103(5), 054407 (2021). doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.103.054407
Revival of Heusler compounds for spintronics
Correlation gap in the heavy-fermion antiferromagnetUPd2Al3
The optical properties of the heavy-fermion compound ${\mathrm{UPd}}_{2}{\mathrm{Al}}_{3}$ have been measured in a frequency range from 0.04 to 5 meV $(0.3--40{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1})$ at temperatures $2\mathrm{K}lTl300\mathrm{K}.$ Below the coherence temperature ${T}^{*}\ensuremath{\approx}50\mathrm{K},$ a hybridization gap opens around 10 meV. As the temperature decreases further $(Tl~20\mathrm{K}),$ a well-pronounced pseudogap of approximately 0.2 meV develops in the optical response; we relate this to the antiferromagnetic ordering which occurs below ${T}_{N}\ensuremath{\approx}14\mathrm{K}.$ The frequency-dependent mass and scattering rate give evidence that the enhancement of …
Thin film growth of Fe-based superconductors: from fundamental properties to functional devices. A comparative review.
Fe-based superconductors bridge a gap between MgB2 and the cuprate high temperature superconductors as they exhibit multiband character and transition temperatures up to around 55 K. Investigating Fe-based superconductors thus promises answers to fundamental questions concerning the Cooper pairing mechanism, competition between magnetic and superconducting phases, and a wide variety of electronic correlation effects. The question addressed in this review is, however, is this new class of superconductors also a promising candidate for technical applications? Superconducting film-based technologies range from high-current and high-field applications for energy production and storage to sensor…
Back Cover: Microwave spectroscopy on heavy-fermion systems: Probing the dynamics of charges and magnetic moments (Phys. Status Solidi B 3/2013)
Brillouin light scattering study of Co$_{2}$Cr$_{0.6}$Fe$_{0.4}$Al and Co$_{2}$FeAl Heusler compounds
The thermal magnonic spectra of Co$_{2}$Cr$_{0.6}$Fe$_{0.4}$Al (CCFA) and Co$_2$FeAl were investigated using Brillouin light scattering spectroscopy (BLS). For CCFA, the exchange constant A (exchange stiffness D) is found to be 0.48 $\mu$erg/cm (203 meV A$^2$), while for Co$_2$FeAl the corresponding values of 1.55 $\mu$erg/cm (370 meV A$^2$) were found. The observed asymmetry in the BLS spectra between the Stokes and anti-Stokes frequencies was assigned to an interplay between the asymmetrical profiles of hybridized Damon-Esbach and perpendicular standing spin-wave modes, combined with the optical sensitivity of the BLS signal to the upper side of the CCFA or Co$_2$FeAl film.
Fabry-Perot resonances in birefringent YAlO_3 analyzed at terahertz frequencies
The optical conductivity of heavy fermions can reveal fundamental properties of the charge carrier dynamics in these strongly correlated electron systems. Here we extend the conventional techniques of infrared optics on heavy fermions by measuring the transmission and phase shift of THz radiation that passes through a thin film of UNi2Al3, a material with hexagonal crystal structure. We deduce the optical conductivity in a previously not accessible frequency range, and furthermore we resolve the anisotropy of the optical response (parallel and perpendicular to the hexagonal planes). At frequencies around 7cm^-1, we find a strongly temperature-dependent and anisotropic optical conductivity t…
Néel Vector Induced Manipulation of Valence States in the Collinear Antiferromagnet Mn 2 Au
The coupling of real and momentum space is utilized to tailor electronic properties of the collinear metallic antiferromagnet Mn2Au by aligning the real space Neel vector indicating the direction o...
Dirakův kužel a pseudogapped hustota stavů v topologické polovině Heuslerovy sloučeniny YPtBi
Topologické izolátory (Tis) jsou zajímavé materiály, které vykazují nebývalé vlastnosti. . Zde jsme prozkoumali sloučeniny YPtBi jako příklad ze třídy polovu-Heuslerových materiálů. Topological insulators (TIs) are exciting materials, which exhibit unprecedented properties, such as helical spinmomentum locking, which leads to large torques for magnetic switching and highly efficient spin current detection. Here we explore the compound YPtBi, an example from the class of half-Heusler materials, for which the typical band inversion of topological insulators was predicted. We prepared this material as thin films by conventional cosputtering from elementary targets. By in situ time-of-flight mo…
Preparation of thin films of the heavy fermion superconductor UNi2Al3
Abstract Thin films of the heavy fermion superconductor UNi 2 Al 3 were prepared by coevaporation of the elementary components in an MBE-system. We obtained textured (1 0 0)-oriented films of this hexagonal compound depositing on Al 2 O 3 substrates. Epitaxial growth was observed on (1 1 2)-oriented orthorhombical YAlO 3 substrates. However, due to pronounced strain the UNi 2 Al 3 (1 0 0)-axis is shortened by ≈2%. No superconductivity of the films was observed which can be associated with the high impurity concentration deduced from R ( T ) and XRD investigations.
Observing the anisotropic optical response of the heavy-fermion compound UNi2 Al3
The optical conductivity of heavy fermions can reveal fundamental properties of the charge carrier dynamics in these strongly correlated electron systems. Here we extend the conventional techniques of infrared optics on heavy fermions by measuring the transmission and phase shift of THz radiation that passes through a thin film of UNi 2 Al 3 , a material with hexagonal crystal structure. We deduce the optical conductivity in a previously not accessible frequency range, and furthermore we resolve the anisotropy of the optical response (parallel and perpendicular to the hexagonal planes). At frequencies around 7 cm -1 , we find a strongly temperature-dependent and anisotropic optical conducti…
Complex Terahertz and Direct Current Inverse Spin Hall Effect in YIG/Cu1-xIrx Bilayers Across a Wide Concentration Range
We measure the inverse spin Hall effect of Cu1-xIrx thin films on yttrium iron garnet over a wide range of Ir concentrations (0.05 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.7). Spin currents are triggered through the spin Seebeck effect, either by a continuous (dc) temperature gradient or by ultrafast optical heating of the metal layer. The spin Hall current is detected by electrical contacts or measurement of the emitted terahertz radiation. With both approaches, we reveal the same Ir concentration dependence that follows a novel complex, nonmonotonous behavior as compared to previous studies. For small Ir concentrations a signal minimum is observed, whereas a pronounced maximum appears near the equiatomic composition. We …
Epitaxial Mn2Au thin films for antiferromagnetic spintronics
Mn2Au is one of the few candidate materials for antiferromagnetic spintronics requiring ordered metals with a high Neel-temperature and strong spin–orbit coupling. We report the preparation of epitaxial Mn2Au thin films by rf-sputtering. Structural characterization by x-ray and electron diffraction demonstrates a high degree of atomic order and the temperature dependence of the resistivity is typical for a good metal. The magnetic properties of the samples are studied by the investigation of Mn2Au/Fe bilayers. Exchange bias effects are observed, which present strong evidence for antiferromagnetic order in the Mn2Au thin films. Small domains of 500 nm are visualized in the exchange coupled F…
Imaging of current induced Néel vector switching in antiferromagnetic Mn 2 Au
The effects of current induced N\'eel spin-orbit torques on the antiferromagnetic domain structure of epitaxial Mn$_2$Au thin films were investigated by X-ray magnetic linear dichroism - photoemission electron microscopy (XMLD-PEEM). We observed current induced switching of AFM domains essentially corresponding to morphological features of the samples. Reversible as well as irreversible N\'eel vector reorientation was obtained in different parts of the samples and the switching of up to 30 % of all domains in the field of view of 10 $\mu$m is demonstrated. Our direct microscopical observations are compared to and fully consistent with anisotropic magnetoresistance effects previously attribu…
Possibility of unconventional superconductivity of SrTiO3−δ
Abstract SrTiO3−δ can show metallic behavior and superconductivity at T It is demonstrated that by variation of the annealing temperature in vacuum the transport properties of SrTiO3−δ can be tuned continuously from semiconducting to metallic. We present measurements of the upper critical field Bc2(T) which show near Tc a positive curvature. This unusual temperature dependence is consistent with a model of weakly interacting charged bosons which condense in the superconducting state (local pairing). However, measurements of current–voltage curves reveal only small critical currents of our samples. This observation is discussed in the framework of doping inhomogeneities.
Surface resonance of thin films of the Heusler half-metal Co2MnSi probed by soft x-ray angular resolved photoemission spectroscopy
Heusler compounds are promising materials for spintronics with adjustable electronic properties including 100% spin polarization at the Fermi energy. We investigate the electronic states of ${\mathrm{AlO}}_{x}$ capped epitaxial thin films of the ferromagnetic half-metal ${\mathrm{Co}}_{2}\mathrm{MnSi}$ ex situ by soft x-ray angular resolved photoemission spectroscopy (SX-ARPES). Good agreement between the experimental SX-ARPES results and photoemission calculations including surface effects was obtained. In particular, we observed in line with our calculations a large photoemission intensity at the center of the Brillouin zone, which does not originate from bulk states, but from a surface r…
Magnetic and Electronic Properties of Heusler Alloy Films Investigated by X-Ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism
We have investigated the magnetic properties of epitaxial Heusler alloy films using x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism∈dex{x-ray!magnetic circular dichroism} (XMCD) in the transmission (TM) and in the surface sensitive total electron yield (TEY) mode. We have investigated Ni_2MnGa based shape memory alloys and half-metallic Co2Cro.6Feo.4 films. Single crystalline Ni2MnGa(110)/Al2O3(1120) and Ni2MnGa(100)/MgO(100) films show a martensitic transition from a cubic high temperature phase to a martensitic low-temperature phase at 250–275 K as concluded from magnetometry and x-ray diffraction. The martensitic transition of this Heusler compound is shifted in…
Manipulation of antiferromagnetic domain distribution in Mn2 Au by ultrahigh magnetic fields and by strain
Evidence for a spin reorientation in antiferromagnetic (AFM) Mn2Au thin films induced by high magnetic fields as well as by the application of in-plane mechanical stress is provided. The AFM domain population in the samples was investigated by resonant X-ray Magnetic Linear Dichroism (XMLD) measurements at the L3 edge of Mn using a variable linear polarization of the incident photon beam. As grown samples show no XMLD signal due to averaging over a random AFM domain distribution. After the exposure to a 70 T in-plane magnetic field a clear XMLD signal indicating the generation of a preferential AFM domain orientation is obtained. The same type of XMLD signal is observed when the thin films …
A Ni-based Superconductor: the Heusler Compound ZrNi$_2$Ga
This work reports on the novel Heusler superconductor ZrNi2Ga. Compared to other nickel-based superconductors with Heusler structure, ZrNi2Ga exhibits a relatively high superconducting transition temperature of Tc=2.9 K and an upper critical field of 1.5 T. Electronic structure calculations show that this relatively high transition temperature is caused by a van Hove singularity, which leads to an enhanced density of states at the Fermi energy. The van Hove singularity originates from a higher order valence instability at the L-point in the electronic structure. The enhanced density of states at the Fermi level was confirmed by specific heat and susceptibility measurements. Although many He…
Influence of impurity scattering on Drude response in heavy-fermion UPd2Al3
The frequency-dependent conductivity of heavy-fermion metals can often be described within the picture of the Drude response: the transport relaxation rate is the only relevant frequency scale and, furthermore, reduced by orders of magnitude compared to normal metals. While the relaxation-time enhancement corresponds to the effective-mass enhancement in these materials, i.e. a fundamental material characteristic, the absolute value of the relaxation time depends on the details of the relevant scattering processes. Here we discuss the influence of impurity scattering on the Drude response of the heavy fermions in UPd2Al3 by comparing different thin film samples.
Antiferromagnetism and the node structure of the superconducting order parameter of UPd Al
The node structure of the superconducting order parameter of the heavy-fermion system is analyzed within the weak-coupling theory. A pairing interaction induced by the exchange of antiferromagnetic spin excitations is assumed as suggested by recent inelastic neutron scattering experiments and tunneling spectroscopy. The multi-sheeted Fermi surface is taken into account. Based on a model susceptibility for the simple antiferromagnetic structure of , line nodes result at the rim of the magnetic Brillouin zone.
Probe Coherence Volume and the Interpretation of Scattering Experiments
Anisotropic transport properties ofUNi2Al3thin films
Experimental results on the transport anisotropy in thin films of the heavy fermion superconductor $\mathrm{U}{\mathrm{Ni}}_{2}{\mathrm{Al}}_{3}$ are presented. They show that the eletronic transport in $\mathrm{U}{\mathrm{Ni}}_{2}{\mathrm{Al}}_{3}$ for different directions is strongly dominated by different sheets of the Fermi surface, and that the magnetic moments must be assigned to a cylindrical part around the $c$ axis. Founded on the findings about the Fermi surface, the dependence of the resistive superconducting transition temperature ${T}_{c}$ on the current direction in $\mathrm{U}{\mathrm{Ni}}_{2}{\mathrm{Al}}_{3}$ can be explained as the result of weakly coupled superconducting …
Preparation of superconducting thin films of UNiAl
Abstract Epitaxial thin films of the unconventional heavy fermion superconductor UNi 2 Al 3 we prepared by coevaporation of the elementary components in a molecular beam epitaxy system (MBE). The phase purity and structural quality of the films deposited on (0 1 0)- or (1 1 2)-oriented YAlO 3 substrates were studied by X-ray diffraction and RHEED. The observed R ( T ) behavior is consistent with data obtained from bulk samples and proves the purity of the films. Superconductivity was found with transition temperature T c =0.97 K.
Direct observation of Drude behavior in the heavy-fermion by broadband microwave spectroscopy
Abstract Previous optical studies on the heavy-fermion system UPd 2 Al 3 down to frequencies of about 1 cm - 1 ( = 30 GHz ) revealed a well-pronounced pseudogap at low frequencies (below 3 cm - 1 ) that was attributed to magnetic correlations. Thus, the optical conductivity at even lower frequencies is of notable interest because the Drude roll-off (the high-frequency characteristic of a metal which will give information on the quasiparticle dynamics) remained hidden at extremely low frequencies. Using a novel cryogenic broadband microwave spectrometer employing the Corbino geometry we have studied the complex optical conductivity of UPd 2 Al 3 thin films in the frequency range from 45 MHz …
Magnetic Anisotropy Engineering in Thin Film Ni Nanostructures by Magnetoelastic Coupling
Néel Spin-Orbit Torque Driven Antiferromagnetic Resonance in Mn2Au Probed by Time-Domain THz Spectroscopy
We observe the excitation of collective modes in the terahertz (THz) range driven by the recently discovered Neel spin-orbit torques (NSOTs) in the metallic antiferromagnet Mn_{2}Au. Temperature-dependent THz spectroscopy reveals a strong absorption mode centered near 1 THz, which upon heating from 4 to 450 K softens and loses intensity. A comparison with the estimated eigenmode frequencies implies that the observed mode is an in-plane antiferromagnetic resonance (AFMR). The AFMR absorption strength exceeds those found in antiferromagnetic insulators, driven by the magnetic field of the THz radiation, by 3 orders of magnitude. Based on this and the agreement with our theory modeling, we inf…
Strain detection in non-magnetic steel by Kerr-microscopy of magnetic tracer layers
Abstract For many applications of steel, e.g. for the evaluation of the fatigue state of components or structures, the characterization of the microscopic strain distribution in the material is important. We present a proof-of-principle for the visualization of such strain distributions by Kerr-microscopy of ferromagnetic tracer layers on nonmagnetic steel sheets. The influence of indentation induced strain on the magnetic domain pattern of 20 nm Galfenol and Permalloy tracer layers on austenitic AISI 904L steel sheets was investigated. The obtained Kerr-microscopy images show a characteristic domain pattern in the strained regions of the steel sheets, which is consistent with a dominant ma…
Superconducting tunneling spectroscopy on epitaxial UPd2Al3 thin films
Abstract Results of superconducting tunneling spectroscopy experiments performed on two different types of thin film planar junctions of the heavy-fermion compound UPd 2 Al 3 are presented. Cross-type junctions consist of the heavy-fermion base electrode, an insulating layer of native surface oxide and a metal counter electrode (Au or Ag). The contact resistance was only weakly temperature dependent down to the superconducting transition. In the superconducting regime a strongly reduced zero bias conductivity indicated the junction being of the superconductor-insulator-normal metal type. The observed tunneling density of states is clearly due to the superconducting energy gap of UPd 2 Al 3 …
Magnetic configurations in nanostructured Co2MnGa thin film elements
The magnetic configuration of nanostructured elements fabricated from thin films of the Heusler compound Co2MnGa was determined by high-resolution x-ray magnetic microscopy, and the magnetic properties of continuous Co2MnGa thin films were determined by magnetometry measurements. A four-fold magnetic anisotropy with an anisotropy constant of kJ m−3 was deduced, and x-ray microscopy measurements have shown that the nanostructured Co2MnGa elements exhibit reproducible magnetic states dominated by shape anisotropy, with a minor contribution from the magneto-crystalline anisotropy, showing that the spin structure can be tailored by judiciously choosing the geometry.
Spin Currents injected electrically and thermally from highly spin polarized Co$_2$MnSi
We demonstrate the injection and detection of electrically and thermally generated spin currents probed in Co$_2$MnSi/Cu lateral spin valves. Devices with different electrode separations are patterned to measure the non-local signal as a function of the electrode spacing and we determine a relatively high effective spin polarization $\alpha$ of Co$_2$MnSi to be 0.63 and the spin diffusion length of Cu to be 500 nm at room temperature. The electrically generated non-local signal is measured as a function of temperature and a maximum signal is observed for a temperature of 80 K. The thermally generated non-local signal is measured as a function of current density and temperature in a second h…
Efficient metallic spintronic emitters of ultrabroadband terahertz radiation
Terahertz electromagnetic radiation is extremely useful for numerous applications such as imaging and spectroscopy. Therefore, it is highly desirable to have an efficient table-top emitter covering the 1-to-30-THz window whilst being driven by a low-cost, low-power femtosecond laser oscillator. So far, all solid-state emitters solely exploit physics related to the electron charge and deliver emission spectra with substantial gaps. Here, we take advantage of the electron spin to realize a conceptually new terahertz source which relies on tailored fundamental spintronic and photonic phenomena in magnetic metal multilayers: ultrafast photo-induced spin currents, the inverse spin-Hall effect an…
Heavy-fermion superconductivity induced by antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations
Superconductivity is caused by an attractive interaction between electrons at the Fermi level that induces the pairing of time-reversed electron states to Cooper pairs. Conventionally this attractive interaction is mediated by phonons. Theoretically, non-phonon mediated coupling seems to be likely for heavy-fermion superconductors whose low-temperature dynamics is dominated by antiferromagnetic spin correlations. However, evidence for spin-fluctuation coupling has not yet been experimentally observed. One of the most direct methods of investigation of the superconducting state is tunneling spectroscopy. We prepared cross-type tunneling junctions composed of the heavy-fermion superconductor …
Effects of post-growth annealing on structural and compositional properties of the Co2Cr0.6Fe0.4Al surface and its relevance for the surface electron spin polarization
In this study we investigate the influence of post-growth annealing on different Co2Cr0.6Fe0.4Al samples. We find strong changes in the geometric surface structure as well as in the element specific concentrations during the annealing process. These irreversible changes go in hand with characteristic changes in the electron spin polarization (ESP) at the surface: as observed in Cinchetti et al (2007 J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 40 1544), the iron buffered sample shows the largest spin polarization at the Fermi level. The latter remains positive as a consequence of the reduced density of states for the minority carriers due to the predicted minority gap, which can be clearly seen for all samples …
Morphology and magnetoresistance of Co2Cr0.6Fe0.4Al-based tunnelling junctions
Some ferromagnetic Heusler compounds are theoretically predicted to be half metallic materials, i.e. to be characterized by a huge spin polarization at the Fermi energy. We investigate the correlations between junction preparation conditions, morphology and transport properties of planar MgO/Co2Cr0.6Fe0.4Al/AlOx/Co/CoOx/Pt tunnelling junctions. Epitaxial Co2Cr0.6Fe0.4Al thin films were deposited by dc and rf magnetron sputtering on different buffer layers (Cr, Fe, MgO) on MgO(1 0 0) substrates. By RHEED, LEED and in situ STM investigations different surface morphologies were observed. Atomically flat surfaces with Co2Cr0.6Fe0.4Al unit cell sized steps (B2 structure) were obtained by rf sput…
Evidence for Multiband Superconductivity in the Heavy Fermion CompoundUNi2Al3
Epitaxial thin films of the heavy fermion superconductor UNi2Al3 with Tc(max)=0.98 K were investigated. The transition temperature Tc depends on the current direction which can be related to superconducting gaps opening at different temperatures. Also the influence of the magnetic ordering at TN approximately 5 K on R(T) is strongly anisotropic, indicating different coupling between the magnetic moments and itinerant charge carriers on the multisheeted Fermi surface. The upper critical field Hc2(T) suggests an unconventional spin-singlet superconducting state.
Test of band structure calculations for Heusler compounds by spin-resolved photoemission spectroscopy
The electronic density of states of epitaxial thin films of the Heusler compound Co${}_{2}$MnGa is probed in situ by spin-resolved ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy. The experiments reveal several characteristic features in the intensity spectrum and a clear Fermi edge signature. A high spin polarization of $\ensuremath{\simeq}\phantom{\rule{-0.16em}{0ex}}55%$ at the Fermi edge is followed by a sign change at the binding energy of $\ensuremath{\simeq}$0.8 eV. Corresponding calculations of the band structure and the photoemission spectrum were performed employing a spin-polarized relativistic Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker code. Good agreement between the experimental data and calculations was …
Low-temperature microwave response of heavy-fermion compounds
The electrodynamic properties of heavy fermions are distinct from those of normal metals due to the reduced transport relaxation rate that goes hand in hand with the enhanced mass. Using broadband microwave spectroscopy on thin-film samples of the heavy-fermion materials UPd2Al3 and UNi2Al3, we find that the frequency-dependent conductivity of these compounds at low temperatures follows a simple Drude prediction. The observed relaxation rates in the GHz frequency range are extremely low for a metal.
Spin-resolved unoccupied density of states in epitaxial Heusler-alloy films
We investigate the electronic properties of epitaxial ${\text{Co}}_{2}({\text{Fe}}_{x}{\text{Mn}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x})\text{Si}$, ${\text{Co}}_{2}\text{Fe}({\text{Al}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\text{Si}}_{x})$, and ${\text{Co}}_{2}({\text{Cr}}_{0.6}{\text{Fe}}_{0.4})\text{Al}$ films on MgO(100) substrates using circular dichroism in x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XMCD). Considering final-state electron correlations, the spin-resolved partial density of states at the Co atom can be extracted from XMCD data. The experimental results corroborate the predicted half-metallic ferromagnetic properties of these alloys and reveal a compositional dependence of the Fermi energy position within the minority b…
Element-specific ferromagnetic resonance in epitaxial Heusler spin valve systems
Time-resolved x-ray magnetic circular dichroism was used to investigate epitaxial MgO(100)/Co2Cr0.6Fe0.4Al and MgO(100)/Co2Cr0.6Fe0.4Al/Cr/CoFe films. The precessional motion of the individual sublattice magnetization, excited by continuous microwave excitation in the range 2–10 GHz, was detected by tuning the x-ray photon energy to the L 3 absorption edges of Cr, Fe and Co. The relative phase angle of the sublattice magnetization's response is smaller than the detection limit of 2°. A weakly antiferromagnetically coupled CoFe layer causes an increase in the ferromagnetic resonance linewidth consisting of a constant offset and a component linearly increasing with frequency that we partly at…
Terahertz conductivity of the heavy-fermion compound UNi2Al3
We have studied the optical properties of the heavy-fermion compound UNi${}_{2}$Al${}_{3}$ at frequencies between 100 GHz and 1 THz (3 and 35 cm${}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$), temperatures between 2 and 300 K, and magnetic fields up to 7 T. From the measured transmission and phase shift of radiation passing through a thin film of UNi${}_{2}$Al${}_{3}$, we have directly determined the frequency dependence of the real and imaginary parts of the optical conductivity (or permittivity, respectively). At low temperatures the anisotropy of the optical conductivity along the $a$ and $c$ axes is about 1.5. The frequency dependence of the real part of the optical conductivity shows a maximum at low temperat…
Magnetoresistance and Phase Diagram of Thin-Film UNi2Al3
We study the dc resistivity of UNi2Al3 thin films as a function of temperature and magnetic field. We focus on the temperature range around the antiferromagnetic transition (TN \approx 4 K in zero applied field). From a clear signature of TN in the dc resistance along the crystallographic a-direction, we extract the shape of the magnetic phase diagram. Here we find quantitative differences in comparison to previous studies on bulk crystals.
Magnetoresistance effects in the metallic antiferromagnet Mn$_2$Au
In antiferromagnetic spintronics, it is essential to separate the resistance modifications of purely magnetic origin from other effects generated by current pulses intended to switch the N\'eel vector. We investigate the magnetoresistance effects resulting from magnetic field induced reorientations of the staggered magnetization of epitaxial antiferromagnetic Mn2Au(001) thin films. The samples were exposed to 60 T magnetic field pulses along different crystallographic in-plane directions of Mn2Au(001), while their resistance was measured. For the staggered magnetization aligned via a spin-flop transition parallel to the easy [110]-direction, an ansiotropic magnetoresistance of -0.15 % was m…
Unidirectional Spin Hall Magnetoresistance as a Tool for Probing the Interfacial Spin Polarization of Co2MnSi
Materials with high spin polarization, such as Heusler compounds, are required for efficient spintronics. The authors propose an approach to probe the transport spin polarization at interfaces, using the recently discovered unidirectional spin Hall magnetoresistance. They show that insertion of thin Ag(001) layers clearly increases the interfacial spin polarization of the Heusler compound Co${}_{2}$MnSi, which is crucial for giant-magnetoresistance devices.