Maximal Rashba-like spin splitting via kinetic-energy-coupled inversion-symmetry breaking.

Engineering and enhancing the breaking of inversion symmetry in solids-that is, allowing electrons to differentiate between 'up' and 'down'-is a key goal in condensed-matter physics and materials science because it can be used to stabilize states that are of fundamental interest and also have potential practical applications. Examples include improved ferroelectrics for memory devices and materials that host Majorana zero modes for quantum computing. Although inversion symmetry is naturally broken in several crystalline environments, such as at surfaces and interfaces, maximizing the influence of this effect on the electronic states of interest remains a challenge. Here we present a mechanism for realizing a much larger coupling of inversion-symmetry breaking to itinerant surface electrons than is typically achieved. The key element is a pronounced asymmetry of surface hopping energies-that is, a kinetic-energy-coupled inversion-symmetry breaking, the energy scale of which is a substantial fraction of the bandwidth. Using spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we demonstrate that such a strong inversion-symmetry breaking, when combined with spin-orbit interactions, can mediate Rashba-like spin splittings that are much larger than would typically be expected. The energy scale of the inversion-symmetry breaking that we achieve is so large that the spin splitting in the CoO2- and RhO2-derived surface states of delafossite oxides becomes controlled by the full atomic spin-orbit coupling of the 3d and 4d transition metals, resulting in some of the largest known Rashba-like spin splittings. The core structural building blocks that facilitate the bandwidth-scaled inversion-symmetry breaking are common to numerous materials. Our findings therefore provide opportunities for creating spin-textured states and suggest routes to interfacial control of inversion-symmetry breaking in designer heterostructures of oxides and other material classes.

Ubiquitous formation of bulk Dirac cones and topological surface states from a single orbital manifold in transition-metal dichalcogenides.

Transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are renowned for their rich and varied bulk properties, while their single-layer variants have become one of the most prominent examples of two-dimensional materials beyond graphene. Their disparate ground states largely depend on transition metal d-electron-derived electronic states, on which the vast majority of attention has been concentrated to date. Here, we focus on the chalcogen-derived states. From density-functional theory calculations together with spin- and angle-resolved photoemission, we find that these generically host a co-existence of type-I and type-II three-dimensional bulk Dirac fermions as well as ladders of topological surface states and surface resonances. We demonstrate how these naturally arise within a single p-orbital manifold as a general consequence of a trigonal crystal field, and as such can be expected across a large number of compounds. Already, we demonstrate their existence in six separate TMDs, opening routes to tune, and ultimately exploit, their topological physics.

Fermiology and Superconductivity of Topological Surface States in PdTe_{2}.

We study the low-energy surface electronic structure of the transition-metal dichalcogenide superconductor PdTe_{2} by spin- and angle-resolved photoemission, scanning tunneling microscopy, and density-functional theory-based supercell calculations. Comparing PdTe_{2} with its sister compound PtSe_{2}, we demonstrate how enhanced interlayer hopping in the Te-based material drives a band inversion within the antibonding p-orbital manifold well above the Fermi level. We show how this mediates spin-polarized topological surface states which form rich multivalley Fermi surfaces with complex spin textures. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy reveals type-II superconductivity at the surface, and moreover shows no evidence for an unconventional component of its superconducting order parameter, despite the presence of topological surface states.

Multiband One-Dimensional Electronic Structure and Spectroscopic Signature of Tomonaga-Luttinger Liquid Behavior in K_{2}Cr_{3}As_{3}.

We present angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements of the quasi-one-dimensional superconductor K_{2}Cr_{3}As_{3}. We find that the Fermi surface contains two Fermi surface sheets, with linearly dispersing bands not displaying any significant band renormalizations. The one-dimensional band dispersions display a suppression of spectral intensity approaching the Fermi level according to a linear power law, over an energy range of ∼200 meV. This is interpreted as a signature of Tomonoga-Luttinger liquid physics, which provides a new perspective on the possibly unconventional superconductivity in this family of compounds.

In Vitro Clot Trapping Efficiency of the FDA Generic Inferior Vena Cava Filter in an Anatomical Model: An Experimental Fluid-Structure Interaction Benchmark.

PURPOSE: Robust experimental data for performing validation of fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulations of the transport of deformable solid bodies in internal flow are currently lacking. This in vitro experimental study characterizes the clot trapping efficiency of a new generic conical-type inferior vena cava (IVC) filter in a rigid anatomical model of the IVC with carefully characterized test conditions, fluid rheological properties, and clot mechanical properties. METHODS: Various sizes of spherical and cylindrical clots made of synthetic materials (nylon and polyacrylamide gel) and bovine blood are serially injected into the anatomical IVC model under worst-case exercise flow conditions. Clot trapping efficiencies and their uncertainties are then quantified for each combination of clot shape, size, and material. RESULTS: Experiments reveal the clot trapping efficiency increases with increasing clot diameter and length, with trapping efficiencies ranging from as low as approximately 42% for small 3.2 mm diameter spherical clots up to 100% for larger clot sizes. Because of the asymmetry of the anatomical IVC model, the data also reveal the iliac vein of clot origin influences the clot trapping efficiency, with the trapping efficiency for clots injected into the left iliac vein up to a factor of 7.5 times greater than that for clots injected into the right iliac (trapping efficiencies of approximately 10% versus 75%, respectively). CONCLUSION: Overall, this data set provides a benchmark for validating simulations predicting IVC filter clot trapping efficiency and, more generally, low-Reynolds number FSI modeling.

Weyl-like points from band inversions of spin-polarised surface states in NbGeSb.

Band inversions are key to stabilising a variety of novel electronic states in solids, from topological surface states to the formation of symmetry-protected three-dimensional Dirac and Weyl points and nodal-line semimetals. Here, we create a band inversion not of bulk states, but rather between manifolds of surface states. We realise this by aliovalent substitution of Nb for Zr and Sb for S in the ZrSiS family of nonsymmorphic semimetals. Using angle-resolved photoemission and density-functional theory, we show how two pairs of surface states, known from ZrSiS, are driven to intersect each other near the Fermi level in NbGeSb, and to develop pronounced spin splittings. We demonstrate how mirror symmetry leads to protected crossing points in the resulting spin-orbital entangled surface band structure, thereby stabilising surface state analogues of three-dimensional Weyl points. More generally, our observations suggest new opportunities for engineering topologically and symmetry-protected states via band inversions of surface states.

Crossover from lattice to plasmonic polarons of a spin-polarised electron gas in ferromagnetic EuO.

Strong many-body interactions in solids yield a host of fascinating and potentially useful physical properties. Here, from angle-resolved photoemission experiments and ab initio many-body calculations, we demonstrate how a strong coupling of conduction electrons with collective plasmon excitations of their own Fermi sea leads to the formation of plasmonic polarons in the doped ferromagnetic semiconductor EuO. We observe how these exhibit a significant tunability with charge carrier doping, leading to a polaronic liquid that is qualitatively distinct from its more conventional lattice-dominated analogue. Our study thus suggests powerful opportunities for tailoring quantum many-body interactions in solids via dilute charge carrier doping.

Spin-valley locking in the normal state of a transition-metal dichalcogenide superconductor.

Metallic transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are benchmark systems for studying and controlling intertwined electronic orders in solids, with superconductivity developing from a charge-density wave state. The interplay between such phases is thought to play a critical role in the unconventional superconductivity of cuprates, Fe-based and heavy-fermion systems, yet even for the more moderately-correlated TMDCs, their nature and origins have proved controversial. Here, we study a prototypical example, 2H-NbSe2, by spin- and angle-resolved photoemission and first-principles theory. We find that the normal state, from which its hallmark collective phases emerge, is characterized by quasiparticles whose spin is locked to their valley pseudospin. This results from a combination of strong spin-orbit interactions and local inversion symmetry breaking, while interlayer coupling further drives a rich three-dimensional momentum dependence of the underlying Fermi-surface spin texture. These findings necessitate a re-investigation of the nature of charge order and superconducting pairing in NbSe2 and related TMDCs.

Negative electronic compressibility and tunable spin splitting in WSe2.

Tunable bandgaps, extraordinarily large exciton-binding energies, strong light-matter coupling and a locking of the electron spin with layer and valley pseudospins have established transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) as a unique class of two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors with wide-ranging practical applications. Using angle-resolved photoemission (ARPES), we show here that doping electrons at the surface of the prototypical strong spin-orbit TMD WSe2, akin to applying a gate voltage in a transistor-type device, induces a counterintuitive lowering of the surface chemical potential concomitant with the formation of a multivalley 2D electron gas (2DEG). These measurements provide a direct spectroscopic signature of negative electronic compressibility (NEC), a result of electron-electron interactions, which we find persists to carrier densities approximately three orders of magnitude higher than in typical semiconductor 2DEGs that exhibit this effect. An accompanying tunable spin splitting of the valence bands further reveals a complex interplay between single-particle band-structure evolution and many-body interactions in electrostatically doped TMDs. Understanding and exploiting this will open up new opportunities for advanced electronic and quantum-logic devices.

Short-term evaluation of a foraging device for non-human primates.

In the USA, any institution involved in using non-human primates for research has had, for regulatory reasons, to address the psychological needs of these animals. Enriching the environment through the use of foraging devices has been one method and a study was designed to evaluate the short-term effect of a new foraging device on singly-housed cynomolgus monkeys. The study was divided into 3 one-week periods of observation: baseline, device filled with normal ration, and device filled with a novel food. Four behaviours were recorded: foraging, self-directed, hopper feeding, and other behaviours. During the observation periods the device was accepted in preference to the standard hopper style feeder and self-directed behaviours were significantly reduced compared with the baseline period. Changing to a novel food re-kindled interest in the device and reduced the extinguishing effect: i.e. decrease in interest or use of the device. Based on this study, the feeder has been included with several other devices in a rotation programme.

Subsyndromal depressive symptoms and major depression in postpartum women.

This study documents differences in the psychosocial functioning of women three months postpartum with subclinical depression, major depression prior to the birth of the baby, major depression both pre- and post-birth, and no depression. An understanding of these differences may have implications for intervention insofar as maternal depression places at risk not only the mother's functioning but her infant's development, as well.

Living wills: making life and death decisions.

Each day, health care providers and families across the United States struggle with decisions regarding life-sustaining treatments for patients in irreversible vegetative states. And each day, these decisionmakers must face the potential for lawsuits for agreeing or refusing to carry out directives that may have been the "wish" of the patient, but were never put in writing.