Microscopic Magnetism of Nickel-Based Infinite-Layer Superconducting Parent Compounds RNiO_(2)(R=La,Nd):A μSR Study

By using muon spin relaxation(μSR)measurements,we perform a comparative study of the microscopic magnetism in the parent compounds of infinite-layer nickelate superconductors RNiO_(2)(R=La,Nd).In either compound,the zero-fieldμSR spectra down to the lowest measured temperature reveal no long-range magnetic order.In LaNiO_(2),short-range spin correlations appear below T=150 K,and spins fully freeze below T∼10 K.NdNiO_(2)exhibits a more complex spin dynamics driven by the Nd 4f and Ni3d electron spin fluctuations.Further,it shows features suggesting the proximity to a spin-glass state occurring below T=5 K.In both compounds,the spin behavior with temperature is further confirmed by longitudinal-field μSR measurements.These results provide new insight into the magnetism of the parent compounds of the superconducting nickelates,crucial to understanding the microscopic origin of their superconductivity.

LnCu_(3)(OH)_(6)Cl_(3) (Ln=Gd, Tb, Dy): Heavy lanthanides on spin-1/2 kagome magnets

The spin-1/2 kagome antiferromagnets are key prototype materials for studying frustrated magnetism.Three isostructural kagome antiferromagnets LnCu_(3)(OH)_(6)Cl_(3)(Ln=Gd,Tb,Dy)have been successfully synthesized by the hydrothermal method.LnCu_(3)(OH)_(6)Cl_(3) adopts space group P3m1 and features the layered Cu-kagome lattice with lanthanide Ln3+cations sitting at the center of the hexagons.Although heavy lanthanides(Ln=Gd,Tb,Dy)in LnCu_(3)(OH)_(6)Cl_(3) provide a large effective magnetic moment and ferromagnetic-like spin correlations compared to light-lanthanides(Nd,Sm,Eu)analogues,Cu-kagome holds an antiferromagnetically ordered state at around 17 K like YCu_(3)(OH)_(6)Cl_(3).

Evidence for topological superconductivity: Topological edge states in Bi2Te3/FeTe heterostructure

Majorana fermions have been predicted to exist at the edge states of a two-dimensional topological superconductor.We fabricated single quintuple layer(QL)Bi2Te3/FeTe heterostructure with the step-flow epitaxy method and studied the topological properties of this system by using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy.We observed the coexistence of robust superconductivity and edge states on the single QL Bi2Te3 islands which can be potential evidence for topological superconductor.

Magnetic Phase Diagram of Cu4-xZnx(OH)6FBr Studied by Neutron-Diffraction and μSR Techniques

We systematically investigate the magnetic properties of Cu4-xZnx(OH)6FBr using the neutron diffraction and muon spin rotation and relaxation(μSR) techniques.Neutron-diffraction measurements suggest that the longrange magnetic order and the orthorhombic nuclear structure in the x=0 sample can persist up to x=0.23 and 0.43,respectively.The temperature dependence of the zero-field μSR spectra provides two characteristic temperatures,TA0 and Tλ,which are associated with the initial drop close to zero time and the long-time exponential decay of the muon relaxation,respectively.Comparison between TA0 and TM from previously reported magnetic-susceptibility measurements suggest that the former comes from the short-range interlayer-spin clusters that persist up to x=0.82.On the other hand,the doping level where Tλ becomes zero is about 0.66,which is much higher than threshold of the long-range order,i.e.,~0.4.Our results suggest that the change in the nuclear structure may alter the spin dynamics of the kagome layers and a gapped quantum-spin-liquid state may exist above x=0.66 with the perfect kagome planes.

Topological superconducting phase in high-T_(c) superconductor MgB_(2) with Dirac-nodal-line fermions

Topological superconductors are an intriguing and elusive quantum phase,characterized by topologically protected gapless surface/edge states residing in a bulk superconducting gap,which hosts Majorana fermions.Unfortunately,all currently known topological superconductors have a very low transition temperature,limiting experimental measurements of Majorana fermions.Here we discover the existence of a topological Dirac–nodal-line state in a well-known conventional high-temperature superconductor,MgB_(2).First-principles calculations show that the Dirac–nodal-line structure exhibits a unique one-dimensional dispersive Dirac–nodal line,protected by both spatial-inversion and time-reversal symmetry,which connects the electron and hole Dirac states.Most importantly,we show that the topological superconducting phase can be realized with a conventional s-wave superconducting gap,evidenced by the topological edge mode of the MgB_(2) thin films showing chiral edge states.Our discovery may enable the experimental measurement of Majorana fermions at high temperature.

Turnover of diacylglycerol kinase 4 by cytoplasmic acidification induces vacuole morphological change and nuclear DNA degradation in the early stage of pear self-incompatibility response

Pear has an S-RNase-based gametophytic selfincompatibility(SI)system.Nuclear DNA degradation is a typical feature of incompatible pollen tube death,and is among the many physiological functions of vacuoles.However,the specific changes that occur in vacuoles,as well as the associated regulatory mechanism in pear SI,are currently unclear.Although research in tobacco has shown that decreased activity of diacylglycerol kinase(DGK)results in the morphological change of pollen tube vacuole,whether DGK regulates the pollen tube vacuole of tree plants and whether it occurs in SI response,is currently unclear.We found that DGK activity is essential for pear pollen tube growth,and DGK4 regulates pollen tube vacuole morphology following its high expression and deposition at the tip and shank edge of the pollen tube of pear.Specifically,incompatible S-RNase may induce cytoplasmic acidification of the pollen tube by inhibiting V-ATPase V0 domain a1 subunit gene expression as early as 30 min after treatment,when the pollen tube is still alive.Cytoplasmic acidification induced by incompatible S-RNase results in reduced DGK4 abundance and deposition,leading to morphological change of the vacuole and fragmentation of nuclear DNA,which indicates that DGK4 is a key factor in pear SI response.