LNS - Scientific Highlights

Revealing the predominant driving force behind symmetry breaking in correlated materials is sometimes a formidable task due to the intertwined nature of different degrees of freedom. This is the case for La_2−xSr_xNiO_4+δ, in which coupled incommensurate charge and spin stripes form at low temperatures. Here, we use resonant x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy to study the temporal stability and domain memory of the charge and spin stripes in La_2−xSr_xNiO_4+δ.

PbMO₃ (M = 3d transition metals) family shows systematic variations in charge distribution and intriguing physical properties due to its delicate energy balance between Pb 6s and transition metal 3d orbitals. However, the detailed structure and physical properties of PbFeO₃ remain unclear. Herein, we reveal that PbFeO₃ crystallizes into an unusual 2a_p × 6a_p × 2a_p orthorhombic perovskite super unit cell with space group C_mcm.

The unconventional normal-state properties of the cuprates are often discussed in terms of emergent electronic order that onsets below a putative critical doping of x_c≈0.19. Charge density wave (CDW) correlations represent one such order; however, experimental evidence for such order generally spans a limited range of doping that falls short of the critical value x_c, leading to questions regarding its essential relevance. Here, we use X-ray diffraction to demonstrate that CDW correlations in La_2−xSr_xCuO₄ persist up to a doping of at least x=0.21.

The discovery of superconductivity in a d^9−δ nickelate has inspired disparate theoretical perspectives regarding the essential physics of this class of materials. A key issue is the magnitude of the magnetic superexchange, which relates to whether cuprate-like high-temperature nickelate superconductivity could be realized. We address this question using Ni L-edge and O K-edge spectroscopy of the reduced d^9−1/3 trilayer nickelates R₄Ni₃O₈ (where R = La, Pr) and associated theoretical modeling.

We have recently shown how a polarized beam in Talbot-Lau interferometric imaging can be used to analyze strong magnetic fields through the spin dependent differential phase effect at field gradients. While in that case an adiabatic spin coupling with the sample field is required, here we investigate a nonadiabatic coupling causing a spatial splitting of the neutron spin states with respect to the external magnetic field. This subsequently leads to no phase contrast signal but a loss of interferometer visibility referred to as dark-field contrast.