Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Zhang, Shilong, Zhang, Hengyuang, Dong, Zehao, Li, Jie, Xiao, Qian, Huo, Mengwu, Huang, Hsiao-Yu, Huang, Di-Jing, Wang, Yayu, Lu, Yi, Chen, Zhen, Wang, Meng, Peng, Yingying
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.20727
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866914533032853504
author Zhang, Shilong
Zhang, Hengyuang
Dong, Zehao
Li, Jie
Xiao, Qian
Huo, Mengwu
Huang, Hsiao-Yu
Huang, Di-Jing
Wang, Yayu
Lu, Yi
Chen, Zhen
Wang, Meng
Peng, Yingying
author_facet Zhang, Shilong
Zhang, Hengyuang
Dong, Zehao
Li, Jie
Xiao, Qian
Huo, Mengwu
Huang, Hsiao-Yu
Huang, Di-Jing
Wang, Yayu
Lu, Yi
Chen, Zhen
Wang, Meng
Peng, Yingying
contents High-T$_c$ superconductivity has recently been discovered in Ruddlesden-Popper phase nickelates under pressure, where the low-energy electronic structure is dominated by Ni $d_{x^2 - y^2}$ and $d_{z^2}$ orbitals. However, the respective roles of these orbitals in superconductivity remain unclear. Here, by combining X-ray absorption, electron energy loss spectroscopy, and density functional theory calculations on La$_{4}$Ni$_{3}$O$_{10}$ single crystals, we identify ligand holes in the $p_{x,y}$ orbitals of planar oxygen and the $p_z$ orbitals of apical oxygen, which hybridize with the Ni $d_{x^2-y^2}$ and $d_{z^2}$ orbitals, respectively. These ligand holes enable orbital-selective O K-edge resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) study, which reveals that $d_{x^2-y^2}$ states dominate the low-energy charge excitations and are more itinerant. We also observe a $\sim$0.1 eV bimagnon through RIXS and Raman spectroscopy, which leads to an interlayer superexchange interaction J$_z$ of $\sim$50 meV. Our results reveal distinct contributions of Ni $d_{x^2-y^2}$ and $d_{z^2}$ orbitals to the electronic and magnetic structure and provide direct experimental insights to understand the RP-phase nickelate superconductors.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_20727
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Distinct orbital contributions to electronic and magnetic structures in La$_{4}$Ni$_{3}$O$_{10}$
Zhang, Shilong
Zhang, Hengyuang
Dong, Zehao
Li, Jie
Xiao, Qian
Huo, Mengwu
Huang, Hsiao-Yu
Huang, Di-Jing
Wang, Yayu
Lu, Yi
Chen, Zhen
Wang, Meng
Peng, Yingying
Superconductivity
Strongly Correlated Electrons
High-T$_c$ superconductivity has recently been discovered in Ruddlesden-Popper phase nickelates under pressure, where the low-energy electronic structure is dominated by Ni $d_{x^2 - y^2}$ and $d_{z^2}$ orbitals. However, the respective roles of these orbitals in superconductivity remain unclear. Here, by combining X-ray absorption, electron energy loss spectroscopy, and density functional theory calculations on La$_{4}$Ni$_{3}$O$_{10}$ single crystals, we identify ligand holes in the $p_{x,y}$ orbitals of planar oxygen and the $p_z$ orbitals of apical oxygen, which hybridize with the Ni $d_{x^2-y^2}$ and $d_{z^2}$ orbitals, respectively. These ligand holes enable orbital-selective O K-edge resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) study, which reveals that $d_{x^2-y^2}$ states dominate the low-energy charge excitations and are more itinerant. We also observe a $\sim$0.1 eV bimagnon through RIXS and Raman spectroscopy, which leads to an interlayer superexchange interaction J$_z$ of $\sim$50 meV. Our results reveal distinct contributions of Ni $d_{x^2-y^2}$ and $d_{z^2}$ orbitals to the electronic and magnetic structure and provide direct experimental insights to understand the RP-phase nickelate superconductors.
title Distinct orbital contributions to electronic and magnetic structures in La$_{4}$Ni$_{3}$O$_{10}$
topic Superconductivity
Strongly Correlated Electrons
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.20727