Superconducting gap in MgB(2): electronic Raman scattering measurements of single crystals

Raman Spectroscopy Investigation of Phonon Behavior in ZnO-Buffered MgB2 Tapes: Exploring Lattice Dynamics and Anharmonicity

We investigated the phonon behavior of ZnO-buffered MgB2 tapes with varying ZnO buffer layer thicknesses using polarized Raman spectroscopy at room and cryogenic temperatures. Polar plots from integrated angle-resolved polarized Raman spectroscopy (ARPRS) at room temperature revealed substantial distortion in the boron plane geometry due to lattice mismatch among the MgB2 film, ZnO buffer layer, and Hastelloy substrate. This distortion significantly affects the electron-phonon coupling (EPC) constant, λ, which we calculated using the modified McMillan equation by Allen-Dynes in relation to the superconducting transition temperature (Tc) of the sample. At cryogenic temperatures, our investigation of the E2g mode exhibited a notable phonon hardening effect of up to ∼4.1%, correlated with the ZnO buffer layer thickness. Furthermore, analysis of the anharmonic E2g phonon mechanism through line width (full width at half maximum) revealed damping behavior, indicating an additional coupling mechanism within the sample that varies with the temperature. This unique Raman scattering behavior potentially elucidates the high Tc mechanism of MgB2, which is underestimated by traditional EPC calculations. Additionally, increasing the thickness of the ZnO layer is predicted to alleviate the distortion in the boron plane geometry, thereby promoting MgB2 toward its inherent electron-phonon superconducting nature by mitigating the additional coupling mechanisms. Understanding how the ZnO buffer layer influences the phonon dynamics and EPC in MgB2 will provide critical insights into optimizing its superconducting properties and advancing its practical applications in high-performance superconducting devices.

Anharmonic theory of superconductivity and its applications to emerging quantum materials

The role of anharmonicity on superconductivity has often been disregarded in the past. Recently, it has been recognized that anharmonic decoherence could play a fundamental role in determining the superconducting properties (electron-phonon coupling, critical temperature, etc) of a large class of materials, including systems close to structural soft-mode instabilities, amorphous solids and metals under extreme high-pressure conditions. Here, we review recent theoretical progress on the role of anharmonic effects, and in particular certain universal properties of anharmonic damping, on superconductivity. Our focus regards the combination of microscopic-agnostic effective theories for bosonic mediators with the well-established BCS theory and Migdal-Eliashberg theory for superconductivity. We discuss in detail the theoretical frameworks, their possible implementation within first-principles methods, and the experimental probes for anharmonic decoherence. Finally, we present several concrete applications to emerging quantum materials, including hydrides, ferroelectrics and systems with charge density wave instabilities.

Ultrafast Hot Phonon Dynamics in MgB_{2} Driven by Anisotropic Electron-Phonon Coupling

The zone-center E_{2g} modes play a crucial role in MgB_{2}, controlling the scattering mechanisms in the normal state as well the superconducting pairing. Here, we demonstrate via first-principles quantum-field theory calculations that, due to the anisotropic electron-phonon interaction, a hot-phonon regime where the E_{2g} phonons can achieve significantly larger effective populations than other modes, is triggered in MgB_{2} by the interaction with an ultrashort laser pulse. Spectral signatures of this scenario in ultrafast pump-probe Raman spectroscopy are discussed in detail, revealing also a fundamental role of nonadiabatic processes in the optical features of the E_{2g} mode.

Observation of pseudogap in MgB2

We investigate the electronic structure of a specially prepared highly dense conventional high temperature superconductor, MgB₂, employing high resolution photoemission spectroscopy. The spectral evolution close to the Fermi energy is commensurate to BCS descriptions as expected. However, the spectra in the wider energy range reveal the emergence of a pseudogap much above the superconducting transition temperature indicating an apparent departure from the BCS scenario. The energy scale of the pseudogap is comparable to the energy of the [Formula: see text] phonon mode responsible for superconductivity in MgB₂ and the pseudogap can be attributed to the effect of electron-phonon coupling on the electronic structure. These results reveal a scenario of the emergence of the superconducting gap within an electron-phonon coupling induced pseudogap and have significant implications in the study of high temperature superconductors.

Real-Time Observation of Phonon-Mediated σ-π Interband Scattering in MgB_{2}

In systems having an anisotropic electronic structure, such as the layered materials graphite, graphene, and cuprates, impulsive light excitation can coherently stimulate specific bosonic modes, with exotic consequences for the emergent electronic properties. Here we show that the population of E_{2g} phonons in the multiband superconductor MgB_{2} can be selectively enhanced by femtosecond laser pulses, leading to a transient control of the number of carriers in the σ-electronic subsystem. The nonequilibrium evolution of the material optical constants is followed in the spectral region sensitive to both the a- and c-axis plasma frequencies and modeled theoretically, revealing the details of the σ-π interband scattering mechanism in MgB_{2}.

New class of photocatalytic materials and a novel principle for efficient water splitting under infrared and visible light: MgB2 as unexpected example

Water splitting is unanimously recognized as environment friendly, potentially low cost and renewable energy solution based on the future hydrogen economy. Especially appealing is photocatalytic water splitting whereby a suitably chosen catalyst dramatically improves efficiency of the hydrogen production driven by direct sunlight and allows it to happen even at zero driving potential. Here, we suggest a new class of stable photocatalysts and the corresponding principle for catalytic water splitting in which infrared and visible light play the main role in producing the photocurrent and hydrogen. The new class of catalysts - ionic or covalent binary metals with layered graphite-like structures - effectively absorb visible and infrared light facilitating the reaction of water splitting, suppress the inverse reaction of ion recombination by separating ions due to internal electric fields existing near alternating layers, provide the sites for ion trapping of both polarities, and finally deliver the electrons and holes required to generate hydrogen and oxygen gases. As an example, we demonstrate conversion efficiency of ~27% at bias voltage V_bias = 0.5V for magnesium diboride working as a catalyst for photoinduced water splitting. We discuss its advantages over some existing materials and propose the underlying mechanism of photocatalytic water splitting by binary layered metals.

Giant nonadiabatic effects in layer metals: raman spectra of intercalated graphite explained

The occurrence of nonadiabatic effects in the vibrational properties of metals has been predicted since the 1960s, but hardly confirmed experimentally. We report the first fully ab initio calculations of nonadiabatic frequencies of a number of conventional (hcp Ti and Mg) and layered metals (MgB2, CaC6, and other intercalated graphites). Nonadiabatic effects can be spectacularly large (up to 30% of the phonon frequencies) in both cases, but they can only be experimentally observed in the Raman spectra of layered compounds. In layered metals nonadiabatic effects are crucial to explaining the observed Raman shifts and linewidths. Moreover, we show that those quantities can be used to extract the electron momentum-relaxation time.

Observation of Leggett's collective mode in a multiband MgB2 superconductor

We report observation of Leggett's collective mode in a multiband MgB2 superconductor with Tc=39 K arising from the fluctuations in the relative phase between two superconducting condensates. The novel mode is observed by Raman spectroscopy at 9.4 meV in the fully symmetric scattering channel. The observed mode frequency is consistent with theoretical considerations based on first-principles computations.

Kohn anomaly in MgB2 by inelastic X-ray scattering

We study phonons in MgB2 using inelastic x-ray scattering (1.6 and 6 meV resolution). We clearly observe the softening and broadening of the crucial E(2g) mode through the Kohn anomaly along GammaM, in excellent agreement with ab initio calculations. Low temperature measurements (just above and below T(c)) show negligible changes for the momentum transfers investigated and no change in the E(2g) mode at A between room temperature and 16 K. We report the presence of a longitudinal mode along GammaA near in energy to the E(2g) mode that is not predicted by theory.

c-Axis Raman scattering spectra of MgB2: observation of a dirty-limit gap in the pi bands

Raman scattering spectra from the ac face of thick MgB2 single crystals were measured in zz, xz, and xx polarizations. In zz and xz polarizations a threshold at around 29 cm(-1) forms in the below T(c) continuum but no pair-breaking peak is seen, in contrast to the sharp pair-breaking peak at around 100 cm(-1) in xx polarization. The zz and xz spectra are consistent with Raman scattering from a dirty superconductor while the sharp peak in the xx spectra argues for a clean system. Analysis of the spectra resolves this contradiction, placing the larger and smaller gap magnitudes in the sigma and pi bands and indicating that relatively strong impurity scattering is restricted to the pi bands.

Search for E(2g) phonon modes in MgB2 single crystals by point-contact spectroscopy

The electron-phonon interaction in magnesium diboride MgB2 single crystals is investigated by point-contact (PC) spectroscopy. For the first time the electron coupling with E(2g) phonon modes is resolved in the PC spectra. The correlation between intensity of the extremely broad E(2g) modes in the PC spectra and value of the superconducting gap is established. Our observations favor current theoretical models for electron-phonon mediated superconductivity in MgB2, and they better match the harmonic phonon model.

Raman scattering from a superconductivity-induced bound state in MgB2

It is shown that the sharp peak in the E(2g) Raman spectrum of superconducting MgB2 is due to a bound state caused by the electron-phonon coupling. Our theory explains why this peak appears only in the spectra with E(2g) symmetry and only in the sigma but not the pi bands. The properties of the bound state and the Raman spectrum are investigated, also in the presence of impurity scattering.

Magneto-optical study of the superconducting gap of MgB(2) single crystals

We present magneto-optical reflectivity results in the basal plane of the hexagonal MgB(2). The data were collected on a mosaic of MgB(2) single crystals with T(c)=38 K from the ultraviolet down to the far infrared as a function of temperature and magnetic field oriented along the c axis. In the far infrared, there is a clear signature of the superconducting gap with a gap ratio 2 Delta/k(B)T(c) approximately 1.2, well below the weak-coupling value. The gap is suppressed in an external magnetic field, which is a function of temperature. We extract the upper critical field H(c2) along the c axis. The temperature dependence of H(c2) is compatible with the Helfand-Werthamer behavior.

Temperature and field dependence of the anisotropy of MgB2

The anisotropy gamma of the superconducting state of high quality single crystals of MgB2 was determined, using torque magnetometry with two different methods. The anisotropy of the upper critical field was found to be temperature dependent, decreasing from gamma approximately 6 at 15 K to 2.8 at 35 K. Reversible torque data near T(c) reveal a field dependent anisotropy, increasing nearly linearly from gamma approximately equal to 2 in zero field to 3.7 in 10 kOe. The unusual temperature dependence is a true bulk property and can be explained by nonlocal effects of anisotropic pairing and/or the k--> dependence of the effective mass tensor.