M. H. Upton

Electronic Structure of Superconducting KC8 and Nonsuperconducting LiC6 Graphite Intercalation Compounds: Evidence for a Graphene-Sheet-Driven Superconducting State

We have performed photoemission studies of the electronic structure in LiC(6) and KC(8), a nonsuperconducting and a superconducting graphite intercalation compound, respectively. We have found that the charge transfer from the intercalant layers to graphene layers is larger in KC(8) than in LiC(6), opposite of what might be expected from their chemical composition. We have also measured the strength of the electron-phonon interaction on the graphene-derived Fermi surface to carbon derived phonons in both materials and found that it follows a universal trend where the coupling strength and superconductivity monotonically increase with the filling of graphene π(*) states. This correlation suggests that both graphene-derived electrons and graphene-derived phonons are crucial for superconductivity in graphite intercalation compounds.

Phonons and superconductivity in YbC6 and related compounds

The out-of-plane intercalate phonons of superconducting YbC6 have been measured with inelastic x-ray scattering. Model fits to these data, and previously measured out-of-plane intercalate phonons in graphite intercalation compounds (GICs), reveal surprising trends with the superconducting transition temperature. These trends suggest that superconducting GICs should be viewed as electron-doped graphite.

Domain mapping of a Ca-doped manganite

We have performed microdiffraction experiments to map the crystallographic domain structure of the Ca-doped manganite Pr0.5Ca0.5MnO3 by microfocusing x-rays through a glass capillary. Domain structure on the order of a few microns is observed. We suggest that this finding implies that the crystallographic domains maybe relevant to the phenomenon of phase separation—such twin boundaries could help determine the submicron size disorder that has been observed recently, and thus may ultimately play a role in colossal magnetoresistance.

Giant spin gap and magnon localization in the disordered Heisenberg antiferromagnet Sr2Ir1-xRuxO4

We study the evolution of magnetic excitations in the disordered two-dimensional antiferromagnet Sr2Ir1-xRuxO4. A gigantic magnetic gap greater than 40 meV opens at x = 0.27 and increases with Ru concentration, rendering the dispersive magnetic excitations in Sr2IrO4 almost momentum independent. Up to a Ru concentration of x = 0.77, both experiments and first-principles calculations show the Ir Jeff = 1/2 state remains intact. The magnetic gap arises from the local interaction anisotropy in the proximity of the Ru disorder. Under the coherent potential approximation, we reproduce the experimental magnetic excitations using the disordered Heisenberg antiferromagnetic model with suppressed next-nearest neighbor ferromagnetic coupling.

High-heat-load monochromator options for the RIXS beamline at the APS with the MBA lattice

With the MBA lattice for APS-Upgrade, tuning curves of 2.6 cm period undulators meet the source requirements for the RIXS beamline. The high-heat-load monochromator (HHLM) is the first optical white beam component. There are four options for the HHLM such as diamond monochromators with refrigerant of either water or liquid nitrogen (LN2), and silicon monochromators of either direct or indirect cooling system. Their performances are evaluated at energy 11.215 keV (Ir L-III edge). The cryo-cooled diamond monochromator has similar performance as the water-cooled diamond monochromator because GaIn of the Cu-GaIn-diamond interface becomes solid. The cryo-cooled silicon monochromators perform better, not only in terms of surface slope error due to thermal deformation, but also in terms of thermal capacity.

Phonons and superconductivity inYbC6and related compounds

The out-of-plane intercalate phonons of superconducting YbC6 have been measured with inelastic x-ray scattering. Model fits to these data, and previously measured out-of-plane intercalate phonons in graphite intercalation compounds (GICs), reveal surprising trends with the superconducting transition temperature. These trends suggest that superconducting GICs should be viewed as electron-doped graphite.

Phonons and superconductivity in YbC{sub 6} and related compounds.

The out-of-plane intercalate phonons of superconducting YbC6 have been measured with inelastic x-ray scattering. Model fits to these data, and previously measured out-of-plane intercalate phonons in graphite intercalation compounds (GICs), reveal surprising trends with the superconducting transition temperature. These trends suggest that superconducting GICs should be viewed as electron-doped graphite.