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1. Magnetotransport patterns of collective localization near ν = 1 in a high-mobility two-dimensional electron gas

   https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.104.045311  

   S. A. Myers ; Haoyun Huang ; L.N. Pfeiffer ; K.W. West ; G.A. Csathy ( July 2021 , Physical review)

   We report complex magnetotransport patterns of the ν = 1 integer quantum Hall state in a GaAs/AlGaAs sample from the newest generation with a record high electron mobility. The reentrant integer quantum Hall effect in the flanks of the ν = 1 plateau indicates the formation of the integer quantum Hall Wigner solid, a collective insulator. Moreover, at a fixed filling factor, the longitudinal resistance versus temperature in the region of the integer quantum Hall Wigner solid exhibits a sharp peak. Such sharp peaks in the longitudinal resistance versus temperature so far were only detected for bubble phases forming in high Landau levels but were absent in the region of the Anderson insulator. We suggest that in samples of sufficiently low disorder, sharp peaks in the longitudinal resistance versus temperature traces are universal transport signatures of all isotropic electron solids that form in the flanks of integer quantum Hall plateaus. We discuss possible origins of these sharp resistance peaks and we draw a stability diagram for the insulating phases in the ν-T phase space.
2. Mechanistic insights of enhanced spin polaron conduction in CuO through atomic doping

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41524-018-0118-3  

   Smart, Tyler J. ; Cardiel, Allison C. ; Wu, Feng ; Choi, Kyoung-Shin ; Ping, Yuan ( November 2018 , npj Computational Materials)

   The formation of a “spin polaron” stems from strong spin-charge-lattice interactions in magnetic oxides, which leads to a localization of carriers accompanied by local magnetic polarization and lattice distortion. For example, cupric oxide (CuO), which is a promising photocathode material and shares important similarities with highT_csuperconductors, conducts holes through spin polaron hopping with flipped spins at Cu atoms where a spin polaron has formed. The formation of these spin polarons results in an activated hopping conduction process where the carriers must not only overcome strong electron−phonon coupling but also strong magnetic coupling. Collectively, these effects cause low carrier conduction in CuO and hinder its applications. To overcome this fundamental limitation, we demonstrate from first-principles calculations how doping can improve hopping conduction through simultaneous improvement of hole concentration and hopping mobility in magnetic oxides such as CuO. Specifically, using Li doping as an example, we show that Li has a low ionization energy that improves hole concentration, and lowers the hopping barrier through both the electron−phonon and magnetic couplings' reduction that improves hopping mobility. Finally, this improved conduction predicted by theory is validated through the synthesis of Li-doped CuO electrodes which show enhanced photocurrent compared to pristine CuO electrodes. Wemore »conclude that doping with nonmagnetic shallow impurities is an effective strategy to improve hopping conductivities in magnetic oxides.

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3. Size dependence- and induced transformations- of fractional quantum Hall effects under tilted magnetic fields

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-22812-x  

   Wijewardena, U. Kushan ; Nanayakkara, Tharanga R. ; Kriisa, Annika ; Reichl, Christian ; Wegscheider, Werner ; Mani, Ramesh G. ( November 2022 , Scientific Reports)

   Two-dimensional electron systems subjected to high transverse magnetic fields can exhibit Fractional Quantum Hall Effects (FQHE). In the GaAs/AlGaAs 2D electron system, a double degeneracy of Landau levels due to electron-spin, is removed by a small Zeeman spin splitting,$$g \mu _B B$$$g{\mu }_{B}B$, comparable to the correlation energy. Then, a change of the Zeeman splitting relative to the correlation energy can lead to a re-ordering between spin polarized, partially polarized, and unpolarized many body ground states at a constant filling factor. We show here that tuning the spin energy can produce fractionally quantized Hall effect transitions that include both a change in$$\nu$$$\nu$for the$$R_{xx}$$$R_{\mathrm{xx}}$minimum, e.g., from$$\nu = 11/7$$$\nu =11/7$to$$\nu = 8/5$$$\nu =8/5$, and a corresponding change in the$$R_{xy}$$$R_{\mathrm{xy}}$, e.g., from$$R_{xy}/R_{K} = (11/7)^{-1}$$$R_{\mathrm{xy}}/R_K={(11/7)}^{-1}$to$$R_{xy}/R_{K} = (8/5)^{-1}$$$R_{\mathrm{xy}}/R_K={(8/5)}^{-1}$, with increasing tilt angle. Further, we exhibit a striking size dependence in the tilt angle interval for the vanishing of the$$\nu = 4/3$$$\nu =4/3$and$$\nu = 7/5$$$\nu =7/5$resistance minima, including “avoided crossing” type lineshape characteristics, and observable shifts of$$R_{xy}$$$R_{\mathrm{xy}}$at the$$R_{xx}$$$R_{\mathrm{xx}}$minima- the latter occurring for$$\nu = 4/3, 7/5$$$\nu =4/3,7/5$and the 10/7. The results demonstrate both size dependence and the possibility, not just of competition between different spin polarized states at the same$$\nu$$$\nu$and$$R_{xy}$$$R_{\mathrm{xy}}$, but also the tilt- or Zeeman-energy-dependent- crossover between distinct FQHE associated withmore »different Hall resistances.

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4. Marginal metallic state at a fractional filling of ’8/5’ and ’4/3’ of Landau levels in the GaAs/AlGaAs 2D electron system

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-94563-0  

   Mani, R. G. ; Wijewardena, U. K. ; Nanayakkara, T. R. ; Kriisa, Annika ; Reichl, C. ; Wegscheider, W. ( December 2021 , Scientific Reports)

   Abstract A metallic state with a vanishing activation gap, at a filling factor $$\nu = 8/5$$ ν = 8 / 5 in the untilted specimen with $$n= 2 \times 10^{11} cm^{-2}$$ n = 2 × 10 11 c m - 2 , and at $$\nu = 4/3$$ ν = 4 / 3 at $$n=1.2 \times 10^{11} cm^{-2}$$ n = 1.2 × 10 11 c m - 2 under a $$\theta = 66^{0}$$ θ = 66 0 tilted magnetic field, is examined through a microwave photo-excited transport study of the GaAs/AlGaAs 2 dimensional electron system (2DES). The results presented here suggest, remarkably, that at the possible degeneracy point of states with different spin polarization, where the 8/5 or 4/3 FQHE vanish, there occurs a peculiar marginal metallic state that differs qualitatively from a quantum Hall insulating state and the usual quantum Hall metallic state. Such a marginal metallic state occurs most prominently at $$\nu =8/5$$ ν = 8 / 5 , and at $$\nu =4/3$$ ν = 4 / 3 under tilt as mentioned above, over the interval $$1 \le \nu \le 2$$ 1 ≤ ν ≤ 2 , that also includes the $$\nu = 3/2$$ ν = 3 / 2more »state, which appears perceptibly gapped in the first instance.« less
5. Polar and phase domain walls with conducting interfacial states in a Weyl semimetal MoTe2

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-11949-5  

   Huang, Fei-Ting ; Joon Lim, Seong ; Singh, Sobhit ; Kim, Jinwoong ; Zhang, Lunyong ; Kim, Jae-Wook ; Chu, Ming-Wen ; Rabe, Karin M. ; Vanderbilt, David ; Cheong, Sang-Wook ( September 2019 , Nature Communications)

   Much of the dramatic growth in research on topological materials has focused on topologically protected surface states. While the domain walls of topological materials such as Weyl semimetals with broken inversion or time-reversal symmetry can provide a hunting ground for exploring topological interfacial states, such investigations have received little attention to date. Here, utilizing in-situ cryogenic transmission electron microscopy combined with first-principles calculations, we discover intriguing domain-wall structures in MoTe₂, both between polar variants of the low-temperature(T) Weyl phase, and between this and the high-Thigher-order topological phase. We demonstrate how polar domain walls can be manipulated with electron beams and show that phase domain walls tend to form superlattice-like structures along thecaxis. Scanning tunneling microscopy indicates a possible signature of a conducting hinge state at phase domain walls. Our results open avenues for investigating topological interfacial states and unveiling multifunctional aspects of domain walls in topological materials.