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Lu YF, Kono H, Larkin TI, Rost AW, Takayama T, Boris AV, Keimer B, Takagi H. Zero-gap semiconductor to excitonic insulator transition in Ta 2NiSe 5. Nat Commun 2017; 8:14408. [PMID: 28205553 PMCID: PMC5316885 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2016] [Accepted: 12/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The excitonic insulator is a long conjectured correlated electron phase of narrow-gap semiconductors and semimetals, driven by weakly screened electron–hole interactions. Having been proposed more than 50 years ago, conclusive experimental evidence for its existence remains elusive. Ta2NiSe5 is a narrow-gap semiconductor with a small one-electron bandgap EG of <50 meV. Below TC=326 K, a putative excitonic insulator is stabilized. Here we report an optical excitation gap Eop ∼0.16 eV below TC comparable to the estimated exciton binding energy EB. Specific heat measurements show the entropy associated with the transition being consistent with a primarily electronic origin. To further explore this physics, we map the TC–EG phase diagram tuning EG via chemical and physical pressure. The dome-like behaviour around EG∼0 combined with our transport, thermodynamic and optical results are fully consistent with an excitonic insulator phase in Ta2NiSe5. The nature of an insulating phase in Ta2NiSe5 is an open question. Here, Lu et al. report transport, thermodynamic and optical evidences being fully consistent with an excitonic insulator phase in this material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y F Lu
- Department of Physics, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - H Kono
- Department of Physics, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - T I Larkin
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstrsse 1, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - A W Rost
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstrsse 1, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.,Institute for Functional Matter and Quantum Technologies, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, 70550 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - T Takayama
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstrsse 1, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - A V Boris
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstrsse 1, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - B Keimer
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstrsse 1, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - H Takagi
- Department of Physics, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.,Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstrsse 1, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.,Institute for Functional Matter and Quantum Technologies, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, 70550 Stuttgart, Germany
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Allan MP, Rost AW, Mackenzie AP, Xie Y, Davis JC, Kihou K, Lee CH, Iyo A, Eisaki H, Chuang TM. Anisotropic Energy Gaps of Iron-Based Superconductivity from Intraband Quasiparticle Interference in LiFeAs. Science 2012; 336:563-7. [DOI: 10.1126/science.1218726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 142] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M. P. Allan
- Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science (CMPMS) Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA
- Laboratory of Solid State Physics, Department of Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (SUPA), School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9SS, UK
| | - A. W. Rost
- Laboratory of Solid State Physics, Department of Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (SUPA), School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9SS, UK
| | - A. P. Mackenzie
- Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (SUPA), School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9SS, UK
| | - Yang Xie
- Laboratory of Solid State Physics, Department of Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - J. C. Davis
- Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science (CMPMS) Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA
- Laboratory of Solid State Physics, Department of Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (SUPA), School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9SS, UK
- Kavli Institute at Cornell for Nanoscale Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - K. Kihou
- Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568, Japan
- Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Transformative Research-Project on Iron Pnictides (TRIP), Tokyo 102-0075, Japan
| | - C. H. Lee
- Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568, Japan
- Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Transformative Research-Project on Iron Pnictides (TRIP), Tokyo 102-0075, Japan
| | - A. Iyo
- Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568, Japan
- Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Transformative Research-Project on Iron Pnictides (TRIP), Tokyo 102-0075, Japan
| | - H. Eisaki
- Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568, Japan
- Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Transformative Research-Project on Iron Pnictides (TRIP), Tokyo 102-0075, Japan
| | - T.-M. Chuang
- Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science (CMPMS) Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA
- Laboratory of Solid State Physics, Department of Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Nankang, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
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Mercure JF, Goh SK, O'Farrell ECT, Perry RS, Sutherland ML, Rost AW, Grigera SA, Borzi RA, Gegenwart P, Mackenzie AP. Quantum oscillations in the anomalous phase in Sr3Ru2O7. Phys Rev Lett 2009; 103:176401. [PMID: 19905773 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.103.176401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2009] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
We report measurements of quantum oscillations detected in the putative nematic phase of Sr3Ru2O7. Improvements in sample purity enabled the resolution of small amplitude de Haas-van Alphen (dHvA) oscillations between two first order metamagnetic transitions delimiting the phase. Two distinct frequencies were observed, whose amplitudes follow the normal Lifshitz-Kosevich profile. Variations of the dHvA frequencies are explained in terms of a chemical potential shift produced by reaching a peak in the density of states, and an anomalous field dependence of the oscillatory amplitude provides information on domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- J-F Mercure
- Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (SUPA), School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St. Andrews, North Haugh, St. Andrews KY16 9SS, United Kingdom
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Rost AW, Perry RS, Mercure JF, Mackenzie AP, Grigera SA. Entropy Landscape of Phase Formation Associated with Quantum Criticality in Sr
3
Ru
2
O
7. Science 2009; 325:1360-3. [DOI: 10.1126/science.1176627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A. W. Rost
- Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (SUPA), School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St. Andrews, North Haugh, St. Andrews KY16 9SS, UK
| | - R. S. Perry
- SUPA, School of Physics, University of Edinburgh, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JZ, UK
| | - J.-F. Mercure
- Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (SUPA), School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St. Andrews, North Haugh, St. Andrews KY16 9SS, UK
| | - A. P. Mackenzie
- Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (SUPA), School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St. Andrews, North Haugh, St. Andrews KY16 9SS, UK
| | - S. A. Grigera
- Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (SUPA), School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St. Andrews, North Haugh, St. Andrews KY16 9SS, UK
- Instituto de Física de Líquidos y Sistemas Biológicos, Universidad Nacional de La Plata–Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, 1900 La Plata, Argentina
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