CNM - Publication Highlights

LaTiO_xN_y oxynitride thin films are employed to study the surface modifications at the solid- liquid interface that occur during photoelectrocatalytic water splitting. Neutron reflectometry and grazing incidence x-ray absorption spectroscopy were utilised to distinguish between the surface and bulk signals, with a surface sensitivity of 3 nm.

Elucidating the role of different degrees of freedom in a phase transition is crucial in the comprehension of complex materi- als. A phase transformation that attracts significant interest is the insulator-to-metal transition of Mott insulators, in which the electrons are thought to play the dominant role. Here, we use ultrafast laser spectroscopy and theoretical calculations ....

With experimental work demonstrating that the correlated ground state of the pyrochlore system Ce₂Sn₂O₇ is a quantum liquid of magnetic octupoles, an international team led by PSI researcher Romain Sibille establishes a fundamentally new state of matter: higher-rank multipole ice.

With experimental work demonstrating that the correlated ground state of the pyrochlore system Ce₂Sn₂O₇ is a quantum liquid of magnetic octupoles, an international team led by PSI researcher Romain Sibille establishes a fundamentally new state of matter: higher-rank multipole ice.

We show that hybrid MnO_x/C₆₀ heterojunctions can be used to design a storage device for spin-polarized charge: a spin capacitor. Hybridization at the carbon-metal oxide interface leads to spin-polarized charge trapping after an applied voltage or photocurrent. Strong electronic structure changes, including a 1-eV energy shift and spin polarization in the C60 lowest unoccupied molecular orbital, are then revealed by x-ray absorption spectroscopy, in agreement with density functional theory simulations.

Detailed understanding of charge diffusion processes in a lithium-ion battery is crucial to enable its systematic improvement. Experimental investigation of diffusion at the interface between active particles and the electrolyte is challenging but warrants investigation as it can introduce resistances that, for example, limit the charge and discharge rates. Here, we show an approach to study diffusion at interfaces using muon spin spectroscopy.

Spin-based logic architectures provide nonvolatile data retention, near-zero leakage, and scalability, extending the technology roadmap beyond complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor logic. Architectures based on magnetic domain walls take advantage of the fast motion, high density, non-volatility and flexible design of domain walls to process and store information. Such schemes, however, rely on domain-wall manipulation and clocking using an external magnetic field, which limits their implementation in dense, large-scale chips.

Topological properties of materials are of fundamental as well as practical importance. Of particular interest are unconven- tional superconductors that break time-reversal symmetry, for which the superconducting state is protected topologically and vortices can host Majorana fermions with potential use in quantum computing. However, in striking contrast to the unconventional A phase of superfluid ³He where chiral symmetry was directly observed, .....

We report a comprehensive muon spin rotation (μSR) study of the prototypical magnetoelectric antiferromagnet Cr₂O₃. We find the positively charged muon (μ⁺) occupies several distinct interstitial sites and displays a rich dynamic behavior involving local hopping, thermally activated site transitions, and the formation of a charge-neutral complex composed of a muon and an electron polaron.

Muon spin rotation experiments establish a quantitative link between the magnetic and topological electronic properties of the kagome magnet Co₃Sn₂S₂ — and demonstrate effective ways for tuning these properties.

Magnetic topological phases of quantum matter are an emerging frontier in physics and material science. Along these lines, several kagome magnets have appeared as the most promising platforms. Here, we explore magnetic correlations in the kagome magnet Co₃Sn₂S₂. Using muon spin-rotation, we present evidence for competing magnetic orders in the kagome lattice of this compound.

We investigate the Sn composition dependence of the Yb valence and local magnetization in YbMn₆Ge_6−xSn_x (4.25 􏰁≤x≤ 5.80) using x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XANES) and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism at the Yb L₃ edge. In these materials, where Mn is ferromagnetically ordered, we observe a decrease of the Yb valence upon reducing the chemical pressure by Sn doping and a suppression of the Yb magnetic moment for strongly hybridized  4f states (ν ∼ 2.77).

In magnetic Weyl semimetals, where magnetism breaks time-reversal symmetry, large magnetically sensitive anomalous transport responses are anticipated that could be useful for topological spintronics. The identification of new magnetic Weyl semimetals is therefore in high demand, particularly since in these systems Weyl node configurations may be easily modified using magnetic fields. Here we explore experimentally the magnetic semimetal PrAlGe, and unveil a direct correspondence between easy-axis Pr ferromagnetism and anomalous Hall and Nernst effects. 

We report the discovery of topological magnetism in the candidate magnetic Weyl semimetal CeAlGe. Using neutron scattering we find this system to host several incommensurate, square-coordinated multi-k⃗ magnetic phases below T_N. The topological properties of a phase stable at intermediate magnetic fields parallel to the c axis are suggested by observation of a topological Hall effect. 

Every folded protein presents an interface with water that is composed of domains of varying hydrophilicity/-phobicity. Many simulation studies have highlighted the nonadditivity in the wetting of such nanostructured surfaces in contrast with the accepted theoretical formula that is additive. We present here an experimental study on surfaces of identical composition but different organization of hydrophobic and hydrophilic domains.

Magnetic ground states with peculiar spin textures, such as magnetic skyrmions and multifunctional domains are of enormous interest for the fundamental physics governing their origin as well as potential applications in emerging technologies. Of particular interest are multiferroics, where sophisticated interactions between electric and magnetic phenomena can be used to tailor several functionalities.

Muon spin rotation experiments provide unique microscopic insight into the superconductivity and magnetism of transition metal dichalcogenides — and reveal complex and unconventional patterns, hinting towards a common mechanism for and electronic origin of ‘unconventional’ superconductivity.

The origin of the metal-to-insulator transition (MIT) in RNiO₃ perovskites with R = trivalent 4f ion has challenged the condensed matter research community for almost three decades. A drawback for progress in this direction has been the lack of studies combining physical properties and accurate structural data covering the full nickelate phase diagram. Here we focus on a small region close to the itinerant limit (R = Pr, 1.5K < T < 300K), where we investigate the gap opening and the simultaneous emergence of charge order in PrNiO₃.

A study of the extended Kitaev model on the honeycomb lattice that factors in Kitaev, Heisenberg and off-diagonal symmetric interactions provides both a definitive answer on proximate Kitaev states and an essential guide to the physics of candidate Kitaev materials.

Artificial spin ices consist of nanomagnets arranged on the sites of various periodic and aperiodic lattices. They have enabled the experimental investigation of a variety of fascinating phenomena such as frustration, emergent magnetic monopoles and phase transitions that have previously been the domain of bulk spin crystals and theory, as we discuss in this Review.

Strongly correlated kagome magnets are promising candidates for achieving controllable topological devices owing to the rich interplay between inherent Dirac fermions and correlation-driven magnetism. Here we report tunable local magnetism and its intriguing control of topological electronic response near room temperature in the kagome magnet Fe₃Sn₂ using small angle neutron scattering, muon spin rotation, and magnetoresistivity measurement techniques.

Shape-morphing systems, which can perform complex tasks through morphological transformations, are of great interest for future applications in minimally invasive medicine, soft robotics, active metamaterials and smart surfaces. With current fabrication methods, shape-morphing configurations have been embedded into structural design by, for example, spatial distribution of heterogeneous materials, which cannot be altered once fabricated. 

In addition to the Kitaev (K) interaction, candidate Kitaev materials also possess Heisenberg (J) and off- diagonal symmetric (Γ) couplings. We investigate the quantum (S=1/2) K-J-Γ model on the honeycomb lattice by a variational Monte Carlo method. In addition to the “generic” Kitaev spin liquid (KSL), we find that there is just one proximate KSL (PKSL) phase, while the rest of the phase diagram contains different magnetically ordered states.

We report muon spin rotation and magnetization measurements under pressure on Fe_1+δSe_1−xS_x with x ≈ 0.11. Above p ≈ 0.6 GPa we find a microscopic coexistence of superconductivity with an extended dome of long range magnetic order that spans a pressure range between previously reported separated magnetic phases. 

Phonon engineering of solids enables the creation of materials with tailored heat-transfer properties, controlled elastic and acoustic vibration propagation, and custom phonon-electron and phonon-photon interactions. These can be leveraged for energy transport, harvesting, or isolation applications and in the creation of novel phonon-based devices, including photoacoustic systems and phonon-communication networks.

Recently, the transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) system 2M-WS₂ has been identified as a Dirac semimetal exhibiting both superconductivity with the highest T_c ~ 8.5 K among all the TMD materials and topological surface states. Here we report on muon spin rotation (μSR) and density functional theory studies of microscopic SC properties and the electronic structure in 2M-WS₂ at ambient and under hydrostatic pressures (p_max = 1.9 GPa).

Quantum materials that feature magnetic long-range order often reveal complex phase diagrams when localized electrons become mobile. In many materials magnetism is rapidly suppressed as electronic charges dissolve into the conduction band. In materials where magnetism persists, it is unclear how the magnetic properties are affected. 

The intrinsic magnetic moment of a neutron, combined with its charge neutrality, is a unique property which allows the investigation of magnetic phenomena in matter. Here we present how the utilization of a cold polarized neutron beam in neutron grating interferometry enables the visualization and characterization of magnetic properties on a microscopic scale in macroscopic samples.

Liposomes of specific artificial phospholipids, such as Pad-PC-Pad and Rad-PC-Rad, are mechanically responsive. They can release encapsulated therapeutics via physical stimuli, as naturally present in blood flow of constricted vessel segments. The question is how these synthetic liposomes change their structure in the medically relevant temperature range from 22 to 42 °C.

A quantum spin liquid is a state of matter where unpaired electrons’ spins, although entangled, do not show magnetic order even at the zero temperature. The realization of a quantum spin liquid is a long-sought goal in condensed-matter physics.