Showing 1–8 of 8 results for author: Tarn, Y

Reducing the strain required for ambient-pressure superconductivity in bilayer nickelates

Authors: Yaoju Tarn, Yidi Liu, Florian Theuss, Jiarui Li, Bai Yang Wang, Jiayue Wang, Vivek Thampy, Zhi-Xun Shen, Yijun Yu, Harold Y. Hwang

Abstract: The remarkable discovery of high temperature superconductivity in bulk bilayer nickelates under high pressure has prompted the conjecture that epitaxial compressive strain might mimic essential aspects of hydrostatic pressure. The successful realization of superconductivity in films on SrLaAlO4 (001) (SLAO) supports this correspondence, yet it remains unclear whether the rich pressure-temperature… ▽ More The remarkable discovery of high temperature superconductivity in bulk bilayer nickelates under high pressure has prompted the conjecture that epitaxial compressive strain might mimic essential aspects of hydrostatic pressure. The successful realization of superconductivity in films on SrLaAlO4 (001) (SLAO) supports this correspondence, yet it remains unclear whether the rich pressure-temperature phase diagram of bilayer nickelates can be systematically mapped (and studied at ambient pressure) as a function of epitaxial strain. To this end, experimental access near the elusive edge of the superconducting phase boundary would provide invaluable insight into the nature of the superconducting state and the ground state from which it emerges. It would also offer a benchmark for theoretical models. Here we report superconducting bilayer nickelates grown on LaAlO3 (001) (LAO), where the compressive strain required for ambient-pressure superconductivity is nearly halved to -1.2%. These films exhibit a superconducting onset above 10 K and reach zero resistance at 3 K, with normal-state transport properties differing from those of films grown on SLAO. Our results offer a new opportunity to probe emergent phenomena near the superconducting phase boundary in the strain-temperature phase diagram of bilayer nickelates. △ Less

Submitted 31 October, 2025; originally announced October 2025.

Comments: 16 pages, 4 figures, 1 table, 42 references, 6 supplementary figures, 1 supplementary table

Fermi-liquid transport beyond the upper critical field in superconducting La$_2$PrNi$_2$O$_7$ thin films

Authors: Yu-Te Hsu, Yidi Liu, Yoshimitsu Kohama, Tommy Kotte, Vikash Sharma, Yaoju Tarn, Yijun Yu, Harold Y. Hwang

Abstract: Unconventional superconductivity typically emerges out of a strongly correlated normal state, manifesting as a Fermi liquid with highly enhanced effective mass or a strange metal with $T$-linear resistivity in the zero-temperature limit. In Ruddlesden-Popper bilayer nickelates $R_3$Ni$_2$O$_7$, superconductivity with a critical temperature ($T_{\rm c}$) exceeding 80 and 40 K has been respectively… ▽ More Unconventional superconductivity typically emerges out of a strongly correlated normal state, manifesting as a Fermi liquid with highly enhanced effective mass or a strange metal with $T$-linear resistivity in the zero-temperature limit. In Ruddlesden-Popper bilayer nickelates $R_3$Ni$_2$O$_7$, superconductivity with a critical temperature ($T_{\rm c}$) exceeding 80 and 40 K has been respectively realised in bulk crystals under high pressure and thin films under compressive strain. These advancements create new materials platforms to study the nature of high-$T_{\rm c}$ superconductivity, calling for the characterisation of fundamental normal-state and superconducting parameters therein. Here we report detailed magnetotransport experiments on superconducting La$_2$PrNi$_2$O$_7$ (LPNO) thin films under pulsed magnetic fields up to 64 T and access the normal-state behaviour over a wide temperature range between 1.5 and 300 K. We find that the normal state of LPNO exhibits the hallmarks of Fermi liquid transport, including $T^2$ temperature dependence of resistivity and Hall angle, and $H^2$ magnetoresistance obeying Kohler scaling. Using the empirical Kadowaki-Woods ratio relating the transport coefficient and electronic specific heat, we estimate a quasiparticle effective mass $m^*/m_e \simeq 10$ in PLNO, thereby revealing the highly renormalized Fermi liquid state which hosts the high-temperature nickelate superconductivity. Our results demonstrate that LPNO follows the same $T_{\rm c}/T_{\rm F}^*$ scaling observed across a wide variety of strongly correlated superconductors and provide crucial constraints for a viable model for superconductivity in bilayer nickelates. △ Less

Submitted 25 May, 2025; originally announced May 2025.

Electronic structure of compressively strained thin film La$_2$PrNi$_2$O$_7$

Authors: Bai Yang Wang, Yong Zhong, Sebastien Abadi, Yidi Liu, Yijun Yu, Xiaoliang Zhang, Yi-Ming Wu, Ruohan Wang, Jiarui Li, Yaoju Tarn, Eun Kyo Ko, Vivek Thampy, Makoto Hashimoto, Donghui Lu, Young S. Lee, Thomas P. Devereaux, Chunjing Jia, Harold Y. Hwang, Zhi-Xun Shen

Abstract: The discovery of superconductivity in the bulk nickelates under high pressure is a major advance in physics. The recent observation of superconductivity at ambient pressure in compressively strained bilayer nickelate thin films has now enabled direct characterization of the superconducting phase through angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). Here we present an in-situ ARPES study of co… ▽ More The discovery of superconductivity in the bulk nickelates under high pressure is a major advance in physics. The recent observation of superconductivity at ambient pressure in compressively strained bilayer nickelate thin films has now enabled direct characterization of the superconducting phase through angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). Here we present an in-situ ARPES study of compressively strained La$_2$PrNi$_2$O$_7$ films grown by oxide molecular beam epitaxy, and the ozone treated counterparts with an onset T$_c$ of 40 K, supplemented with results from pulsed laser deposition films with similar T$_c$. We resolve a systematic strain-driven electronic band shift with respect to that of bulk crystals, in qualitative agreement with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. However, the strongly renormalized flat 3$d_{z2}$ band shifts a factor of 5-10 smaller than anticipated by DFT. Furthermore, it stays ~70 meV below the Fermi level, contradicting the expectation that superconductivity results from the high density of states of this band at the Fermi level. We also observed a non-trivial k$_z$ dispersion of the cuprate-like 3$d_{x2-y2}$ band. Combined with results from both X-ray diffraction and DFT, we suggest that the strained films are under ~5 GPa effective pressure, considerably larger than the naïve expectation from the DFT relaxed structure. Finally, the ~70 meV energy position is intriguingly close to the collective mode coupling more prominently seen in thin films, in the energy range of both oxygen related phonons and the maximum of the spin excitation spectrum. △ Less

Submitted 23 April, 2025; v1 submitted 22 April, 2025; originally announced April 2025.

Superconductivity and normal-state transport in compressively strained La$_2$PrNi$_2$O$_7$ thin films

Authors: Yidi Liu, Eun Kyo Ko, Yaoju Tarn, Lopa Bhatt, Jiarui Li, Vivek Thampy, Berit H. Goodge, David A. Muller, Srinivas Raghu, Yijun Yu, Harold Y. Hwang

Abstract: The discovery of superconductivity under high pressure in Ruddlesden-Popper phases of bulk nickelates has sparked great interest in stabilizing ambient pressure superconductivity in thin-film form using epitaxial strain. Recently, signs of superconductivity have been observed in compressively strained bilayer nickelate thin films with an onset temperature exceeding 40 K, albeit with broad and two-… ▽ More The discovery of superconductivity under high pressure in Ruddlesden-Popper phases of bulk nickelates has sparked great interest in stabilizing ambient pressure superconductivity in thin-film form using epitaxial strain. Recently, signs of superconductivity have been observed in compressively strained bilayer nickelate thin films with an onset temperature exceeding 40 K, albeit with broad and two-step-like transitions. Here, we report intrinsic superconductivity and normal-state transport properties in compressively strained La$_2$PrNi$_2$O$_7$ thin films, achieved through a combination of isovalent Pr substitution, growth optimization, and precision ozone annealing. The superconducting onset occurs above 48 K, with zero resistance reached above 30 K, and the critical current density at 1.4 K is 100-fold larger than previous reports. The normal-state resistivity exhibits quadratic temperature dependence indicative of Fermi liquid behaviour, and other phenomenological similarities to transport in overdoped cuprates suggest parallels in their emergent properties. △ Less

Submitted 3 September, 2025; v1 submitted 14 January, 2025; originally announced January 2025.

Comments: 18 pages, 4 figures. The updated manuscript includes an Author Correction for the sign error in the Hall coefficient

Liquid Metal Oxide-assisted Integration of High-k Dielectrics and Metal Contacts for Two-Dimensional Electronics

Authors: Dasari Venkatakrishnarao, Abhishek Mishra, Yaoju Tarn, Michel Bosman, Rainer Lee, Sarthak Das, Subhrajit Mukherjee, Teymour Talha-Dean, Yiyu Zhang, Siew Lang Teo, Jian Wei Chai, Fabio Bussolotti, Kuan Eng Johnson Goh, Chit Siong Lau

Abstract: Two-dimensional van der Waals semiconductors are promising for future nanoelectronics. However, integrating high-k gate dielectrics for device applications is challenging as the inert van der Waals material surfaces hinder uniform dielectric growth. Here, we report a liquid metal oxide-assisted approach to integrate ultrathin, high-k HfO2 dielectric on 2D semiconductors with atomically smooth inte… ▽ More Two-dimensional van der Waals semiconductors are promising for future nanoelectronics. However, integrating high-k gate dielectrics for device applications is challenging as the inert van der Waals material surfaces hinder uniform dielectric growth. Here, we report a liquid metal oxide-assisted approach to integrate ultrathin, high-k HfO2 dielectric on 2D semiconductors with atomically smooth interfaces. Using this approach, we fabricated 2D WS2 top-gated transistors with subthreshold swings down to 74.5 mV/dec, gate leakage current density below 10-6 A/cm2, and negligible hysteresis. We further demonstrate a one-step van der Waals integration of contacts and dielectrics on graphene. This can offer a scalable approach toward integrating entire prefabricated device stack arrays with 2D materials. Our work provides a scalable solution to address the crucial dielectric engineering challenge for 2D semiconductors, paving the way for high-performance 2D electronics. △ Less

Submitted 19 September, 2024; originally announced September 2024.

Journal ref: ACS Nano, 2024

Toward Phonon-Limited Transport in Two-Dimensional Electronics by Oxygen-Free Fabrication

Authors: Subhrajit Mukherjee, Shuhua Wang, Dasari Venkatakrishnarao, Yaoju Tarn, Teymour Talha-Dean, Rainer Lee, Ivan A. Verzhbitskiy, Ding Huang, Abhishek Mishra, John Wellington John, Sarthak Das, Fabio Bussoloti, Thathsara D. Maddumapatabandi, Yee Wen Teh, Yee Sin Ang, Kuan Eng Johnson Goh, Chit Siong Lau

Abstract: Future electronics require aggressive scaling of channel material thickness while maintaining device performance. Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors are promising candidates, but despite over two decades of research, experimental performance still lags theoretical expectations. Here, we develop an oxygen-free approach to push the electrical transport of 2D field-effect transistors toward the theo… ▽ More Future electronics require aggressive scaling of channel material thickness while maintaining device performance. Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors are promising candidates, but despite over two decades of research, experimental performance still lags theoretical expectations. Here, we develop an oxygen-free approach to push the electrical transport of 2D field-effect transistors toward the theoretical phonon-limited intrinsic mobility. We achieve record carrier mobilities of 91 (132) cm2V-1s-1 for mono- (bi-) layer MoS2 transistors on SiO2 substrate. Statistics from over 60 devices confirm that oxygen-free fabrication enhances key figures of merit by more than an order of magnitude. While previous studies suggest that 2D transition metal dichalcogenides such as MoS2 and WS2 are stable in air, we show that short-term ambient exposure can degrade their device performance through irreversible oxygen chemisorption. This study emphasizes the criticality of avoiding oxygen exposure, offering guidance for device manufacturing for fundamental research and practical applications of 2D materials. △ Less

Submitted 12 September, 2024; originally announced September 2024.

Nano-ironing van der Waals Heterostructures Towards Electrically Controlled Quantum Dots

Authors: Teymour Talha-Dean, Yaoju Tarn, Subhrajit Mukherjee, John Wellington John, Ding Huang, Ivan A. Verzhbitskiy, Dasari Venkatakrishnarao, Sarthak Das, Rainer Lee, Abhishek Mishra, Shuhua Wang, Yee Sin Ang, Kuan Eng Johnson Goh, Chit Siong Lau

Abstract: Assembling two-dimensional van der Waals layered materials into heterostructures is an exciting development that sparked the discovery of rich correlated electronic phenomena and offers possibilities for designer device applications. However, resist residue from fabrication processes is a major limitation. Resulting disordered interfaces degrade device performance and mask underlying transport phy… ▽ More Assembling two-dimensional van der Waals layered materials into heterostructures is an exciting development that sparked the discovery of rich correlated electronic phenomena and offers possibilities for designer device applications. However, resist residue from fabrication processes is a major limitation. Resulting disordered interfaces degrade device performance and mask underlying transport physics. Conventional cleaning processes are inefficient and can cause material and device damage. Here, we show that thermal scanning probe based cleaning can effectively eliminate resist residue to recover pristine material surfaces. Our technique is compatible at both the material- and device-level, and we demonstrate the significant improvement in the electrical performance of 2D WS2 transistors. We also demonstrate the cleaning of van der Waals heterostructures to achieve interfaces with low disorder. This enables the electrical formation and control of quantum dots that can be tuned from macroscopic current flow to the single-electron tunnelling regime. Such material processing advances are crucial for constructing high-quality vdW heterostructures that are important platforms for fundamental studies and building blocks for quantum and nano-electronics applications. △ Less

Submitted 2 February, 2024; originally announced February 2024.

Comments: 4 Figures

An Algorithm for Subtraction of Doublet Emission Lines in Angle-Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy

Authors: Yaoju Tarn, Mekhola Sinha, Christopher Pasco, Darrell G. Schlom, Tyrel M. McQueen, Kyle M. Shen, Brendan D. Faeth

Abstract: Plasma discharge lamps are widely utilized in the practice of angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) experiments as narrow-linewidth ultraviolet photon sources. However, many emission lines such as Ar-I, Ne-I, and Ne-II have closely spaced doublet emission lines, which result in superimposed replica on the measured ARPES spectra. Here, we present a simple method for subtracting the cont… ▽ More Plasma discharge lamps are widely utilized in the practice of angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) experiments as narrow-linewidth ultraviolet photon sources. However, many emission lines such as Ar-I, Ne-I, and Ne-II have closely spaced doublet emission lines, which result in superimposed replica on the measured ARPES spectra. Here, we present a simple method for subtracting the contribution of these doublet emission lines from photoemission spectra. Benchmarking against ARPES spectra of well-characterized 2D materials, we demonstrate that this algorithm manages to subtract the doublet signal and reproduce the key features of the monochromated He-I$α$ spectra in a physically sound manner that reliably reproduces quantifiable dispersion relations and quasiparticle lifetimes. △ Less

Submitted 13 March, 2023; originally announced March 2023.

Comments: 8 pages, 4 main figures, 3 appendix figures