Ultrafast Condensed Matter Physics at Attoseconds

Our understanding of how photons couple to different degrees of freedom in solids forms the bedrock of ultrafast physics and materials sciences.In this review,the emergent ultrafast dynamics in condensed matter at the attosecond timescale have been intensively discussed.In particular,the focus is put on recent developments of attosecond dynamics of charge,exciton,and magnetism.New concepts and indispensable role of interactions among multiple degrees of freedom in solids are highlighted.Applications of attosecond electronic metrology and future prospects toward attosecond dynamics in condensed matter are further discussed.These pioneering studies promise future development of advanced attosecond science and technology such as attosecond lasers,laser medical engineering,and ultrafast electronic devices.

Influence of exchange bias on spin torque ferromagnetic resonance for quantification of spin–orbit torque efficiency

Antiferromagnet(AFM)/ferromagnet(FM)heterostructure is a popular system for studying the spin–orbit torque(SOT)of AFMs.However,the interfacial exchange bias field induces that the magnetization in FM layer is noncollinear to the external magnetic field,namely the magnetic moment drag effect,which further influences the characteristic of SOT efficiency.In this work,we study the SOT efficiencies of IrMn/NiFe bilayers with strong interfacial exchange bias by using spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance(ST-FMR)method.A full analysis on the AFM/FM systems with exchange bias is performed,and the angular dependence of magnetization on external magnetic field is determined through the minimum rule of free energy.The ST-FMR results can be well fitted by this model.We obtained the relative accurate SOT efficiencyξ_(DL)=0.058 for the IrMn film.This work provides a useful method to analyze the angular dependence of ST-FMR results and facilitates the accurate measurement of SOT efficiency for the AFM/FM heterostructures with strong exchange bias.

High-frequency microwave cavity design for high-mass dark matter axion searches

The haloscope based on the TM_(010)mode cavity is a well-established technique for detecting QCD axions.However,the method has limitations in detecting high-mass axion due to significant volume loss in the high-frequency cavity.Utilizing a higher-order mode cavity can effectively reduce the volume loss of the high-frequency cavity.The rotatable dielectric pieces as a tuning mechanism can compensate for the degradation of the form factor of the higher-order mode.Nevertheless,the introduction of dielectric causes additional volume loss.To address these issues,this paper proposes a novel design scheme by adding a central metal rod to the higher-order mode cavity tuned by dielectrics,which improves the performance of the haloscope due to the increased effective volume of the cavity detector.The superiority of the novel design is demonstrated by comparing its simulated performance with previous designs.Moreover,the feasibility of the scheme is verified by the full-wave simulation results of the mechanical design model.

Development of a monochromatic crystal backlight imager for the recent double-cone ignition experiments

We developed a monochromatic crystal backlight imaging system for the double-cone ignition(DCI) scheme, employing a spherically bent quartz crystal. This system was used to measure the spatial distribution and temporal evolution of the head-on colliding plasma from the two compressing cones in the DCI experiments. The influence of laser parameters on the x-ray backlighter intensity and spatial resolution of the imaging system was investigated. The imaging system had a spatial resolution of 10 μm when employing a CCD detector. Experiments demonstrated that the system can obtain time-resolved radiographic images with high quality, enabling the precise measurement of the shape, size, and density distribution of the plasma.

Kinetic Limits of Graphite Anode for Fast‑Charging Lithium‑Ion Batteries

Fast-charging lithium-ion batteries are highly required,especially in reducing the mileage anxiety of the widespread electric vehicles.One of the biggest bottlenecks lies in the sluggish kinetics of the Li^(+)intercalation into the graphite anode;slow intercalation will lead to lithium metal plating,severe side reactions,and safety concerns.The premise to solve these problems is to fully understand the reaction pathways and rate-determining steps of graphite during fast Li^(+)intercalation.Herein,we compare the Li^(+)diffusion through the graphite particle,interface,and electrode,uncover the structure of the lithiated graphite at high current densities,and correlate them with the reaction kinetics and electrochemical performances.It is found that the rate-determining steps are highly dependent on the particle size,interphase property,and electrode configuration.Insufficient Li^(+)diffusion leads to high polarization,incomplete intercalation,and the coexistence of several staging structures.Interfacial Li^(+)diffusion and electrode transportation are the main rate-determining steps if the particle size is less than 10μm.The former is highly dependent on the electrolyte chemistry and can be enhanced by constructing a fluorinated interphase.Our findings enrich the understanding of the graphite structural evolution during rapid Li^(+)intercalation,decipher the bottleneck for the sluggish reaction kinetics,and provide strategic guidelines to boost the fast-charging performance of graphite anode.

Formation of quaternary all-d-metal Heusler alloy by Co doping fcc type Ni_(2)MnV and mechanical grinding induced B2–fcc transformation

The structure of the all-d-metal alloy Ni_(50-x)Co_(x)Mn_(25)V_(25)(x=0–50)is investigated by using theoretical and experimental methods.The first-principles calculations indicate that the most stable structure of the Ni_2MnV alloy is face-centered cubic (fcc)type structure with ferrimagnetic state and the equilibrium lattice constant is 3.60A,which is in agreement with the experimental result.It is remarkable that replacing partial Ni with Co can turn the alloy from the fcc structure to the B2-type Heusler structure as Co content x>37 by using the melting spinning method,implying that the d–d hybridization between Co/Mn elements and low-valent elements V stabilizes the Heusler structure.The Curie temperature T_(C) of all-dmetal Heuser alloy Ni_(50-x)Co_(x)Mn_(25)V_(25)(x>37)increases almost linearly with the increase of Co due to that the interaction of Co–Mn is stronger than that of Ni–Mn.A magnetic transition from ferromagnetic state to weak magnetic state accompanying with grinding stress induced transformation from B2 to the dual-phase of B2 and fcc has been observed in these all-d-metal Heusler alloys.This phase transformation and magnetic change provide a guide to overcome the brittleness and make the all-d-metal Heusler alloy interesting in stress and magnetic driving structural transition.

Regulated electronic structure and improved electrocatalytic performances of S-doped FeWO4 for rechargeable zinc-air batteries

The exploration of active and long-lived oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)catalysts for the commercialization of zinc-air batteries are of immense significance but challenging.Herein,the sulfur doped FeWO_(4)embedded in the multi-dimensional nitrogen-doped carbon structure(S-FeWO_(4)/NC)was successfully synthesized.The doped S atoms optimized the charge distribution in FeWO_(4)and enhanced the intrinsic activity.At the same time,S doping accelerated the formation of reaction intermediates during the adsorption reduction of O_(2)on the surface of S-FeWO_(4)/NC.Accordingly,the S-FeWO_(4)/NC catalyst showed more positive half-wave potential(0.85 V)and better stability than that of the FeWO_(4)/NC catalyst.Furthermore,the S-FeWO_(4)/NC-based zinc-air battery exhibited considerable power density of 150.3m W cm^(-2),high specific capacity of 912.7 m A h g^(-1),and prominent cycle stability up to 220 h.This work provides an assistance to the development of cheap and efficient tungsten-based oxygen reduction catalysts and the promotion of its application in the zinc-air battery.

Optimization of large-area YBa_(2)Cu_(3)O_(7-δ)thin films by pulsed laser deposition for planar microwave devices

This paper presents high quality YBa_(2)Cu_(3)O_(7-δ)(YBCO)thin films on LaAlO_(3)substrate for microwave devices prepared by pulsed laser deposition(PLD).The double-sided YBCO films cover a large area and have been optimized for key parameters relevant to microwave device applications,such as surface morphology and surface resistance(R_(s)).This was achieved by improving the target quality and increasing the oxygen pressure during deposition,respectively.To evaluate the suitability of the YBCO films for microwave devices,a pair of microwave filters based on microstrip fabricated on films from this work and a commercial company were compared.The results show that the YBCO films in this work could completely meet the requirements for microwave devices.

Recent progress on fabrication and flat-band physics in 2D transition metal dichalcogenides moiré superlattices

Moiré superlattices are formed when overlaying two materials with a slight mismatch in twist angle or lattice constant. They provide a novel platform for the study of strong electronic correlations and non-trivial band topology, where emergent phenomena such as correlated insulating states, unconventional superconductivity, and quantum anomalous Hall effect are discovered. In this review, we focus on the semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides(TMDs) based moiré systems that host intriguing flat-band physics. We first review the exfoliation methods of two-dimensional materials and the fabrication technique of their moiré structures. Secondly, we overview the progress of the optically excited moiré excitons, which render the main discovery in the early experiments on TMD moiré systems. We then introduce the formation mechanism of flat bands and their potential in the quantum simulation of the Hubbard model with tunable doping, degeneracies, and correlation strength. Finally, we briefly discuss the challenges and future perspectives of this field.

Databases of 2D material-substrate interfaces and 2D charged building blocks

Discovery of materials using“bottom-up”or“top-down”approach is of great interest in materials science.Layered materials consisting of two-dimensional(2D)building blocks provide a good platform to explore new materials in this respect.In van der Waals(vdW)layered materials,these building blocks are charge neutral and can be isolated from their bulk phase(top-down),but usually grow on substrate.In ionic layered materials,they are charged and usually cannot exist independently but can serve as motifs to construct new materials(bottom-up).In this paper,we introduce our recently constructed databases for 2D material-substrate interface(2DMSI),and 2D charged building blocks.For 2DMSI database,we systematically build a workflow to predict appropriate substrates and their geometries at substrates,and construct the 2DMSI database.For the 2D charged building block database,1208 entries from bulk material database are identified.Information of crystal structure,valence state,source,dimension and so on is provided for each entry with a json format.We also show its application in designing and searching for new functional layered materials.The 2DMSI database,building block database,and designed layered materials are available in Science Data Bank at https://doi.org/10.57760/sciencedb.j00113.00188.

Maskless fabrication of quasi-omnidirectional V-groove solar cells using an alkaline solution-based method

Silicon passivated emitter and rear contact(PERC) solar cells with V-groove texture were fabricated using maskless alkaline solution etching with in-house developed additive. Compared with the traditional pyramid texture, the V-groove texture possesses superior effective minority carrier lifetime, enhanced p–n junction quality and better applied filling factor(FF). In addition, a V-groove texture can greatly reduce the shading area and edge damage of front Ag electrodes when the V-groove direction is parallel to the gridline electrodes. Due to these factors, the V-groove solar cells have a higher efficiency(21.78%) than pyramid solar cells(21.62%). Interestingly, external quantum efficiency(EQE) and reflectance of the V-groove solar cells exhibit a slight decrease when the incident light angle(θ) is increased from 0° to 75°, which confirms the excellent quasi omnidirectionality of the V-groove solar cells. The proposed V-groove solar cell design shows a 2.84% relative enhancement of energy output over traditional pyramid solar cells.

Capturing the non-equilibrium state in light–matter–free-electron interactions through ultrafast transmission electron microscopy

Ultrafast transmission electron microscope(UTEM) with the multimodality of time-resolved diffraction, imaging,and spectroscopy provides a unique platform to reveal the fundamental features associated with the interaction between free electrons and matter. In this review, we summarize the principles, instrumentation, and recent developments of the UTEM and its applications in capturing dynamic processes and non-equilibrium transient states. The combination of the transmission electron microscope with a femtosecond laser via the pump–probe method guarantees the high spatiotemporal resolution, allowing the investigation of the transient process in real, reciprocal and energy spaces. Ultrafast structural dynamics can be studied by diffraction and imaging methods, revealing the coherent acoustic phonon generation and photoinduced phase transition process. In the energy dimension, time-resolved electron energy-loss spectroscopy enables the examination of the intrinsic electronic dynamics of materials, while the photon-induced near-field electron microscopy extends the application of the UTEM to the imaging of optical near fields with high real-space resolution. It is noted that light–free-electron interactions have the ability to shape electron wave packets in both longitudinal and transverse directions, showing the potential application in the generation of attosecond electron pulses and vortex electron beams.

FPGA and computer-vision-based atom tracking technology for scanning probe microscopy

Atom tracking technology enhanced with innovative algorithms has been implemented in this study,utilizing a comprehensive suite of controllers and software independently developed domestically.Leveraging an on-board field-programmable gate array(FPGA)with a core frequency of 100 MHz,our system facilitates reading and writing operations across 16 channels,performing discrete incremental proportional-integral-derivative(PID)calculations within 3.4 microseconds.Building upon this foundation,gradient and extremum algorithms are further integrated,incorporating circular and spiral scanning modes with a horizontal movement accuracy of 0.38 pm.This integration enhances the real-time performance and significantly increases the accuracy of atom tracking.Atom tracking achieves an equivalent precision of at least 142 pm on a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite(HOPG)surface under room temperature atmospheric conditions.Through applying computer vision and image processing algorithms,atom tracking can be used when scanning a large area.The techniques primarily consist of two algorithms:the region of interest(ROI)-based feature matching algorithm,which achieves 97.92%accuracy,and the feature description-based matching algorithm,with an impressive 99.99%accuracy.Both implementation approaches have been tested for scanner drift measurements,and these technologies are scalable and applicable in various domains of scanning probe microscopy with broad application prospects in the field of nanoengineering.

Optical study of magnetic topological insulator MnBi_(4)Te_7

We present an infrared spectroscopy study of the magnetic topological insulator MnBi_(4)Te_7 with antiferromagnetic(AFM) order below the Neel temperature TN= 13 K. Our investigation reveals that the low-frequency optical conductivity consists of two Drude peaks, indicating a response of free carriers involving multiple bands. Interestingly, the narrow Drude peak grows strongly as the temperature decreases, while the broad Drude peak remains relatively unchanged. The onset of interband transitions starts around 2000 cm^(-1), followed by two prominent absorption peaks around 10000 cm^(-1) and 20000 cm^(-1). Upon cooling, there is a notable transfer of spectral weight from the interband transitions to the Drude response. Below TN, the AFM transition gives rise to small anomalies of the charge response due to a band reconstruction.These findings provide valuable insights into the interplay between magnetism and the electronic properties in MnBi_(4)Te_7.

Influences of divalent ion substitution on the magnetic and dielectric properties of W-type barium ferrite

Saturation magnetization,magneto-crystalline anisotropy field,and dielectric properties are closely related to microwave devices applied at different frequencies.For regulating the magnetic and dielectric properties of W-type barium ferrites,single-phase BaMe_(2)Fe_(16)O_(27)(Me=Fe,Mn,Zn,Ni,Co) with different Me ions were synthesized by the high-temperature solid-state method.The saturation magnetization(Ms) range from 47.77 emu/g to 95.34 emu/g and the magnetic anisotropy field(H_a) range from 10700.60 Oe(1 Oe=79.5775 A·m^(-1)) to 13739.57 Oe,depending on the type of cation substitution in the hexagonal lattice.The dielectric permittivity and dielectric loss decrease with increasing frequency of the AC electric field in the low-frequency region,while they almost remain constant in the high-frequency region.The charac teristics of easy regulation and preparation make it a potential candidate for use in microwave device applications.

Structure,ferroelectric,and enhanced fatigue properties of sol–gel-processed new Bi-based perovskite thin films of Bi(Cu_(1/2)Ti_(1/2))O_(3)–PbTiO_(3)

Bi-based perovskite ferroelectric thin films have wide applications in electronic devices due to their excellent ferroelectric properties.New Bi-based perovskite thin films Bi(Cu_(1/2)Ti_(1/2))O_(3)–PbTiO_(3)(BCT–PT) are deposited on Pt(111)/Ti/SiO_(2)/Si substrates in the present study by the traditional sol–gel method.Their structures and related ferroelectric and fatigue characteristics are studied in-depth.The BCT–PT thin films exhibit good crystallization within the phase-pure perovskite structure,besides,they have a predominant(100) orientation together with a dense and homogeneous microstructure.The remnant polarization(2P_(r)) values at 30 μC/cm^(2) and 16 μC/cm^(2) are observed in 0.1BCT–0.9PT and 0.2BCT–0.8PT thin films,respectively.More intriguingly,although the polarization values are not so high,0.2BCT–0.8PT thin films show outstanding polarization fatigue properties,with a high switchable polarization of 93.6% of the starting values after 10^(8) cycles,indicating promising applications in ferroelectric memories.

Ultrathin Limit on the Anisotropic Superconductivity of Single-Layered Cuprate Films

Exploring dimensionality effects on cuprates is important for understanding the nature of high-temperature superconductivity.By atomically layer-by-layer growth with oxide molecular beam epitaxy,we demonstrate that La_(2−x)Sr_(x)CuO_(4)(x=0.15)thin films remain superconducting down to 2 unit cells of thickness but quickly reach the maximum superconducting transition temperature at and above 4 unit cells.By fitting the critical magnetic field(μ0H_(c2)),we show that the anisotropy of the film’s superconductivity increases with decreasing film thickness,indicating that the superconductivity of the film gradually evolves from weak three-to two-dimensional character.These results are helpful to gain more insight into the nature of high-temperature superconductivity with dimensionality.

Surface doping manipulation of the insulating ground states in Ta_(2)Pd_(3)Te_(5) and Ta_(2)Ni_(3)Te_(5)

Manipulating emergent quantum phenomena is a key issue for understanding the underlying physics and contributing to possible applications.Here we study the evolution of insulating ground states of Ta_(2)Pu_(3)Te_(5) and Ta_(2)Ni_(3)Te_(5) under in-situ surface potassium deposition via angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy.Our results confirm the excitonic insulator character of Ta_(2)d_(3)Te_(5).Upon surface doping,the size of its global gap decreases obviously.After a deposition time of more than 7 min,the potassium atoms induce a metal-insulator phase transition and make the system recover to a normal state.In contrast,our results show that the isostructural compound Ta_(2)Ni_(3)Te_(5) is a conventional insulator.The size of its global gap decreases upon surface doping,but persists positive throughout the doping process.Our results not only confirm the excitonic origin of the band gap in Ta_(2)Pd_(3)Te_(5),but also offer an effective method for designing functional quantum devices in the future.

Distinct behavior of electronic structure under uniaxial strain in BaFe_(2)As_(2)

We report a study of the electronic structure of BaFe_(2)As_(2) under uniaxial strains using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and transport measurements. Two electron bands at the MY point, with an energy splitting of 50 meV in the strain-free sample, shift downward and merge into each other under a large uniaxial strain, while three hole bands at theГ point shift downward together. However, we also observed an enhancement of the resistance anisotropy under uniaxial strains by electrical transport measurements, implying that the applied strains strengthen the electronic nematic order in BaFe_(2)As_(2). These observations suggest that the splitting of these two electron bands at the MY point is not caused by the nematic order in BaFe_(2)As_(2).

Reanalysis of energy band structure in the type-II quantum wells

Band structure analysis holds significant importance for understanding the optoelectronic characteristics of semiconductor structures and exploring their potential applications in practice. For quantum well structures, the energy of carriers in the well splits into discrete energy levels due to the confinement of barriers in the growth direction. However, the discrete energy levels obtained at a fixed wave vector cannot accurately reflect the actual energy band structure. In this work, the band structure of the type-II quantum wells is reanalyzed. When the wave vectors of the entire Brillouin region(corresponding to the growth direction) are taken into account, the quantized energy levels of the carriers in the well are replaced by subbands with certain energy distributions. This new understanding of the energy bands of low-dimensional structures not only helps us to have a deeper cognition of the structure, but also may overturn many viewpoints in traditional band theories and serve as supplementary to the band theory of low-dimensional systems.