Unconventional Superconducting Diode Effects via Antisymmetry and Antisymmetry Breaking.

Symmetry breaking plays a pivotal role in unlocking intriguing properties and functionalities in material systems. For example, the breaking of spatial and temporal symmetries leads to a fascinating phenomenon: the superconducting diode effect. However, generating and precisely controlling the superconducting diode effect pose significant challenges. Here, we take a novel route with the deliberate manipulation of magnetic charge potentials to realize unconventional superconducting flux-quantum diode effects. We achieve this through suitably tailored nanoengineered arrays of nanobar magnets on top of a superconducting thin film. We demonstrate the vital roles of inversion antisymmetry and its breaking in evoking unconventional superconducting effects, namely a magnetically symmetric diode effect and an odd-parity magnetotransport effect. These effects are nonvolatilely controllable through in situ magnetization switching of the nanobar magnets. Our findings promote the use of antisymmetry (breaking) for initiating unconventional superconducting properties, paving the way for exciting prospects and innovative functionalities in superconducting electronics.

Crystallizing Kagome Artificial Spin Ice.

Artificial spin ices are engineered arrays of dipolarly coupled nanobar magnets. They enable direct investigations of fascinating collective phenomena from their diverse microstates. However, experimental access to ground states in the geometrically frustrated systems has proven difficult, limiting studies and applications of novel properties and functionalities from the low energy states. Here, we introduce a convenient approach to control the competing diploar interactions between the neighboring nanomagnets, allowing us to tailor the vertex degeneracy of the ground states. We achieve this by tuning the length of selected nanobar magnets in the spin ice lattice. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our method by realizing multiple low energy microstates in a kagome artificial spin ice, particularly the hardly accessible long range ordered ground state-the spin crystal state. Our strategy can be directly applied to other artificial spin systems to achieve exotic phases and explore new emergent collective behaviors.

Reconfigurable Pinwheel Artificial-Spin-Ice and Superconductor Hybrid Device.

The ability to control the potential landscape in a medium of interacting particles could lead to intriguing collective behavior and innovative functionalities. Here, we utilize spatially reconfigurable magnetic potentials of a pinwheel artificial-spin-ice (ASI) structure to tailor the motion of superconducting vortices. The reconstituted chain structures of the magnetic charges in the pinwheel ASI and the strong interaction between magnetic charges and superconducting vortices allow significant modification of the transport properties of the underlying superconducting thin film, resulting in a reprogrammable resistance state that enables a reversible and switchable vortex Hall effect. Our results highlight an effective and simple method of using ASI as an in situ reconfigurable nanoscale energy landscape to design reprogrammable superconducting electronics, which could also be applied to the in situ control of properties and functionalities in other magnetic particle systems, such as magnetic skyrmions.

Enhanced thermoelectric efficiency in nanocrystalline bismuth telluride nanotubes.

We report on the thermal and thermoelectric properties of individual nanocrystalline Bi2 Te3 nanotubes synthesized by the solution phase method using 3ω method and a microfabricated testbench. Measurements show that the nanotubes offer improved ZT compared to bulk Bi2Te3 near room temperature due to an enhanced Seebeck coefficient and suppressed thermal conductivity. This improvement in ZT originates from the nanocrystalline nature and low dimensionality of the nanotubes. Domain boundary filtering of low-energy electrons provides an enhanced Seebeck coefficient. The scattering of phonons at the surface of the nanotube leads to suppressed thermal conductivity. These have been theoretically analyzed using the Boltzmann equation based on the relaxation time approximation and Landauer approach. This work clearly demonstrates the possibility of achieving enhancement in thermoelectric efficiency by combining nanocrystalline and low-dimensional systems.

Uranyl-Peroxide Clusters Incorporating Iron Trimers and Bridging by Bisphosphonate- and Carboxylate-Containing Ligands.

A hybrid uranium-iron cage nanocluster, [(UO2)24(FeOH)24(O2)24(PO4)8(CH(COO)(PO3)2)24]96- (U24Fe24), was synthesized using bridging ligands containing bisphosphonate and carboxylate groups. U24Fe24 contains six tetramers of uranyl hexagonal bipyramids and eight iron trimers, each of which consists of three corner-sharing Fe3+ octahedra and is stabilized by in situ formed phosphate and 2,2-bis(phosphonato)acetate (C2P2) groups. Tetramers and trimers are bridged by 24 C2P2 groups into a cage cluster. Crystals of U24Fe24 present a paramagnetic-like behavior. X-ray scattering showed that U24Fe24 forms in the reactant solution prior to crystallization and is stable upon dissolution in water.

Toroidic phase transitions in a direct-kagome artificial spin ice.

Ferrotoroidicity-the fourth form of primary ferroic order-breaks both space and time-inversion symmetry. So far, direct observation of ferrotoroidicity in natural materials remains elusive, which impedes the exploration of ferrotoroidic phase transitions. Here we overcome the limitations of natural materials using an artificial nanomagnet system that can be characterized at the constituent level and at different effective temperatures. We design a nanomagnet array as to realize a direct-kagome spin ice. This artificial spin ice exhibits robust toroidal moments and a quasi-degenerate ground state with two distinct low-temperature toroidal phases: ferrotoroidicity and paratoroidicity. Using magnetic force microscopy and Monte Carlo simulation, we demonstrate a phase transition between ferrotoroidicity and paratoroidicity, along with a cross-over to a non-toroidal paramagnetic phase. Our quasi-degenerate artificial spin ice in a direct-kagome structure provides a model system for the investigation of magnetic states and phase transitions that are inaccessible in natural materials.

Integrated and DC-powered superconducting microcomb.

Frequency combs, specialized laser sources emitting multiple equidistant frequency lines, have revolutionized science and technology with unprecedented precision and versatility. Recently, integrated frequency combs are emerging as scalable solutions for on-chip photonics. Here, we demonstrate a fully integrated superconducting microcomb that is easy to manufacture, simple to operate, and consumes ultra-low power. Our turnkey apparatus comprises a basic nonlinear superconducting device, a Josephson junction, directly coupled to a superconducting microstrip resonator. We showcase coherent comb generation through self-started mode-locking. Therefore, comb emission is initiated solely by activating a DC bias source, with power consumption as low as tens of picowatts. The resulting comb spectrum resides in the microwave domain and spans multiple octaves. The linewidths of all comb lines can be narrowed down to 1 Hz through a unique coherent injection-locking technique. Our work represents a critical step towards fully integrated microwave photonics and offers the potential for integrated quantum processors.

Magnetoelectric coupling in ordered arrays of multilayered heteroepitaxial BaTiO3/CoFe2O4 nanodots.

Fully epitaxial BaTiO(3)/CoFe(2)O(4) ferroelectric/ferromagnetic multilayered nanodot arrays, a new type of magnetoelectric (ME) nanocomposite with both horizontal and vertical orderings, were fabricated via a stencil-derived direct epitaxy technique. By reducing the clamping effect, ferroelectric domain modification and distinct magnetization change proportional to different interfacial area around the BaTiO(3) phase transition temperatures were found, which may pave the way to quantitative introducing of ME coupling at nanoscale and build high density multistate memory devices.

Dynamic properties of spin cluster glass and the exchange bias effect in BiFeO3 nanocrystals.

A spin cluster glass behavior and a complicated exchange bias effect are observed in high quality BiFeO(3) nanocrystals grown by a hydrothermal method. The dynamic properties of the spin clusters investigated by measuring the frequency dependences of ac susceptibility show that the relaxation process can be described using a power law with the glass transition temperature T(g) = 57 K, relaxation time constant τ(0) = 4.4 × 10(-10) s, and critical exponent zv = 10.3 ± 1.9, consistent with a three-dimensional Ising spin glass. The exchange bias field (H(EB)) varies non-monotonically with temperature and achieves a minimum at T(g). The abnormal shift of hysteresis loops above T(g) may be interpreted in terms of a Malozemoff's random-field model with a framework of antiferromagnetic core/spin-cluster shell structure and a two-dimensional diluted antiferromagnet in a field (2D-DAFF) model, respectively. The exchange anisotropy of the BiFeO(3) nanocrystals will shed light on a possible application for magnetism related nanosized devices.

Superconducting diode effect via conformal-mapped nanoholes.

A superconducting diode is an electronic device that conducts supercurrent and exhibits zero resistance primarily for one direction of applied current. Such a dissipationless diode is a desirable unit for constructing electronic circuits with ultralow power consumption. However, realizing a superconducting diode is fundamentally and technologically challenging, as it usually requires a material structure without a centre of inversion, which is scarce among superconducting materials. Here, we demonstrate a superconducting diode achieved in a conventional superconducting film patterned with a conformal array of nanoscale holes, which breaks the spatial inversion symmetry. We showcase the superconducting diode effect through switchable and reversible rectification signals, which can be three orders of magnitude larger than that from a flux-quantum diode. The introduction of conformal potential landscapes for creating a superconducting diode is thereby proven as a convenient, tunable, yet vastly advantageous tool for superconducting electronics. This could be readily applicable to any superconducting materials, including cuprates and iron-based superconductors that have higher transition temperatures and are desirable in device applications.

Exchange bias in ferromagnetic bilayers with orthogonal anisotropies: the case of GaMnAsP/GaMnAs combination.

We report the observation of exchange bias in a ferromagnetic Ga0.94Mn0.06As0.77P0.23/ Ga0.94Mn0.06As bilayer, in which the easy axis in one layer is oriented out-of-plane, and in the other in-plane. Magnetization reversal in this system is explored using planar Hall effect (PHE) measurements under various initial conditions and with various field-cooling orientations. Our results show that the two magnetic layers are ferromagnetically exchange-coupled, and that such coupling results in pronounced exchange-bias-like shifts of magnetic hysteresis loops during reversal of in-plane magnetization. The presence of exchange bias in this system can be understood on the basis of magnetic closure domains formed in the layer with the out-of-plane easy axis.

Nonvolatile and Reversible Ferroelectric Control of Electronic Properties of Bi2Te3 Topological Insulator Thin Films Grown on Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 Single Crystals.

Single-phase (00 l)-oriented Bi2Te3 topological insulator thin films have been deposited on (111)-oriented ferroelectric 0.71Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.29PbTiO3 (PMN-PT) single-crystal substrates. Taking advantage of the nonvolatile polarization charges induced by the polarization direction switching of PMN-PT substrates at room temperature, the carrier density, Fermi level, magnetoconductance, conductance channel, phase coherence length, and quantum corrections to the conductance can be in situ modulated in a reversible and nonvolatile manner. Specifically, upon the polarization switching from the positively poled Pr+ state (i.e., polarization direction points to the film) to the negatively poled Pr- (i.e., polarization direction points to the bottom electrode) state, both the electron carrier density and the Fermi wave vector decrease significantly, reflecting a shift of the Fermi level toward the Dirac point. The polarization switching from Pr+ to Pr- also results in significant increase of the conductance channel α from -0.15 to -0.3 and a decrease of the phase coherence length from 200 to 80 nm at T = 2 K as well as a reduction of the electron-electron interaction. All these results demonstrate that electric-voltage control of physical properties using PMN-PT as both substrates and gating materials provides a simple and a straightforward approach to realize reversible and nonvolatile tuning of electronic properties of topological thin films and may be further extended to study carrier density-related quantum transport properties of other quantum matter.

Integration of Oxide Semiconductor Thin Films with Relaxor-Based Ferroelectric Single Crystals with Large Reversible and Nonvolatile Modulation of Electronic Properties.

We report the fabrication of 0.71Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.29PbTiO3 (PMN-0.29PT)-based ferroelectric field effect transistors (FeFETs) by the epitaxial growth of cobalt-doped tin dioxide (SnO2) semiconductor thin films on PMN-0.29PT single crystals. Using such FeFETs we realized in situ, reversible, and nonvolatile manipulation of the electron carrier density and achieved a large nonvolatile modulation of the resistance (∼330%) of the SnO2:Co films through the polarization switching of PMN-0.29PT at 300 K. Particularly, combining the ferroelectric gating with piezoresponse force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Hall effect, and magnetoresistance (MR), we rigorously disclose that both sign and magnitude of the MR are intrinsically determined by the electron carrier density, which could modify the s-d exchange interaction of the SnO2:Co films. Furthermore, we realized multilevel resistance states of the SnO2:Co films by combining the ferroelectric gating with ultraviolet light illumination, demonstrating that the FeFETs have potential applications in multistate resistive memories and electro-optical devices.

Effects of Interface Layers and Domain Walls on the Ferroelectric-Resistive Switching Behavior of Au/BiFeO3/La0.6Sr0.4MnO3 Heterostructures.

The electric field effects on the electric and magnetic properties in multiferroic heterostructures are important for not only understanding the mechanisms of certain novel physical phenomena occurring at heterointerfaces but also offering a route for promising spintronic applications. Using the Au/BiFeO3/La0.6Sr0.4MnO3 (Au/BFO/LSMO) multiferroic heterostructure as a model system, we investigated the ferroelectric-resistive switching (RS) behaviors of the heterostructure. Via the manipulation of the BFO ferroelectric polarizations, the nonvolatile tristate of RS is observed, which is closely related to the Au/BFO and BFO/LSMO interface layers and the highly conducting BFO domain walls (DWs). More interestingly, according to the magnetic field dependence of the RS behavior, the negative magnetoresistance effect of the third resistance state, corresponding to the abnormal current peak in current-pulse voltage hysteresis near the electric coercive field, is also observed at room temperature, which mainly arises from the possible oxygen vacancy accumulation and Fe ion valence variation in the DWs.

Structural evolution from Bi4.2K0.8Fe2O9+δ nanobelts to BiFeO3 nanochains in vacuum and their multiferroic properties.

In this paper, we report the structural evolution of Bi(4.2)K(0.8)Fe(2)O(9+δ) nanobelts to BiFeO3 nanochains and the related variations in multiferroic properties. By using in situ transmission electron microscopy with comprehensive characterization, it was found that the layered perovskite multiferroic Bi(4.2)K(0.8)Fe(2)O(9+δ) nanobelts were very unstable in a vacuum environment, with Bi being easily removed. Based on this finding, a simple vacuum annealing method was designed which successfully transformed the Bi(4.2)K(0.8)Fe(2)O(9+δ) nanobelts into one-dimensional BiFeO(3) nanochains. Both the Bi(4.2)K(0.8)Fe(2)O(9+δ) nanobelts and the BiFeO3 nanochains showed multiferroic behavior, with their ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties clearly established by piezoresponse and magnetic measurements, respectively. Interestingly, the BiFeO(3) nanochains had a larger magnetization than the Bi(4.2)K(0.8)Fe(2)O(9+δ) nanobelts. Moreover, the BiFeO(3) nanochains exhibited a surprisingly large exchange bias with small training effects. This one-dimensional BiFeO(3) multiferroic nanostructure characterized by a relatively stable exchange bias offers important functionalities that may be attractive for device applications.

Room temperature multiferroicity in Bi(4.2)K(0.8)Fe(2)O(9+δ).

Magnetoelectric multiferroics are materials that have coupled magnetic and electric dipole orders, which can bring novel physical phenomena and offer possibilities for new device functions. In this report, single-crystalline Bi(4.2)K(0.8)Fe(2)O(9+δ) nanobelts which are isostructural with the high-temperature superconductor Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCu(2)O(8+δ) are successfully grown by a hydrothermal method. The regular stacking of the rock salt slabs and the BiFeO(3)-like perovskite blocks along the c axis of the crystal makes the Bi(4.2)K(0.8)Fe(2)O(9+δ) nanobelts have a natural magnetoelectric-dielectric superlattice structure. The most striking result is that the bulk material made of the Bi(4.2)K(0.8)Fe(2)O(9+δ) nanobelts is of multiferroicity near room temperature accompanied with a structure anomaly. When an external magnetic field is applied, the electric polarization is greatly suppressed, and correspondingly, a large negative magnetocapacitance coefficient is observed around 270 K possibly due to the magnetoelectric coupling effect. Our result provides contributions to the development of single phase multiferroics.