Spin resolved bandstructure imaging with a high resolution momentum microscope

Analysis methodology of coherent oscillations in time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy

Oscillatory signals from coherently excited phonons are regularly observed in ultrafast pump-probe experiments on condensed matter samples. Electron-phonon coupling implies that coherent phonons also modulate the electronic band structure. These oscillations can be probed with energy and momentum resolution using time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (trARPES), which reveals the orbital dependence of the electron-phonon coupling for a specific phonon mode. However, a comprehensive analysis remains challenging when multiple coherent phonon modes couple to multiple electronic bands. Complex spectral line shapes due to strong correlations in quantum materials add to this challenge. In this work, we examine how the frequency domain representation of trARPES data facilitates a quantitative analysis of coherent oscillations of the electronic bands. We investigate the frequency domain representation of the photoemission intensity and the first moment of the energy distribution curves. Both quantities provide complementary information and are able to distinguish oscillations of binding energy, linewidth, and intensity. We analyze a representative trARPES dataset of the transition metal dichalcogenide WTe2 and construct composite spectra, which intuitively illustrate how much each electronic band is affected by a specific phonon mode. We also show how a linearly chirped probe pulse can generate extrinsic artifacts that are distinct from the intrinsic coherent phonon signal.

Efficiency improvement of spin-resolved ARPES experiments using Gaussian process regression

The experimental efficiency has been a central concern for time-consuming experiments. Spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (spin-resolved ARPES) is renowned for its inefficiency in spin-detection, despite its outstanding capability to directly determine the spin-polarized electronic properties of materials. Here, we investigate the potential enhancement of the efficiency of spin-resolved ARPES experiments through the integration of measurement informatics. We focus on a representative topological insulator Bi 2 Te 3 , which has well-understood spin-polarized electronic states. We employ Gaussian process regression (GPR) to assess the accumulation of spin polarization information using an indicator known as the GPR score. Our analyses based on the GPR model suggest that the GPR score can serve as a stopping criterion for spin-resolved ARPES experiments. This criterion enables us to conduct efficient spin-resolved ARPES experiments, significantly reducing the time costs by 5-10 times, compared to empirical stopping criteria.

Asymmetric electrostatic dodecapole: compact bandpass filter with low aberrations for momentum microscopy

Imaging energy filters in photoelectron microscopes and momentum microscopes use spherical fields with deflection angles of 90°, 180° and even 2 × 180°. These instruments are optimized for high energy resolution, and exhibit image aberrations when operated in high transmission mode at medium energy resolution. Here, a new approach is presented for bandpass-filtered imaging in real or reciprocal space using an electrostatic dodecapole with an asymmetric electrode array. In addition to energy-dispersive beam deflection, this multipole allows aberration correction up to the third order. Here, its use is described as a bandpass prefilter in a time-of-flight momentum microscope at the hard X-ray beamline P22 of PETRA III. The entire instrument is housed in a straight vacuum tube because the deflection angle is only 4° and the beam displacement in the filter is only ∼8 mm. The multipole is framed by transfer lenses in the entrance and exit branches. Two sets of 16 different-sized entrance and exit apertures on piezomotor-driven mounts allow selection of the desired bandpass. For pass energies between 100 and 1400 eV and slit widths between 0.5 and 4 mm, the transmitted kinetic energy intervals are between 10 eV and a few hundred electronvolts (full width at half-maximum). The filter eliminates all higher or lower energy signals outside the selected bandpass, significantly improving the signal-to-background ratio in the time-of-flight analyzer.

Development of dual-beamline photoelectron momentum microscopy for valence orbital analysis

The soft X-ray photoelectron momentum microscopy (PMM) experimental station at the UVSOR Synchrotron Facility has been recently upgraded by additionally guiding vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) light in a normal-incidence configuration. PMM offers a very powerful tool for comprehensive electronic structure analyses in real and momentum spaces. In this work, a VUV beam with variable polarization in the normal-incidence geometry was obtained at the same sample position as the soft X-ray beam from BL6U by branching the VUV beamline BL7U. The valence electronic structure of the Au(111) surface was measured using horizontal and vertical linearly polarized (s-polarized) light excitations from BL7U in addition to horizontal linearly polarized (p-polarized) light excitations from BL6U. Such highly symmetric photoemission geometry with normal incidence offers direct access to atomic orbital information via photon polarization-dependent transition-matrix-element analysis.

Laser-based angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy with micrometer spatial resolution and detection of three-dimensional spin vector

We have developed a state-of-the-art apparatus for laser-based spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy with micrometer spatial resolution (µ-SARPES). This equipment is realized by the combination of a high-resolution photoelectron spectrometer, a 6 eV laser with high photon flux that is focused down to a few micrometers, a high-precision sample stage control system, and a double very-low-energy-electron-diffraction spin detector. The setup achieves an energy resolution of 1.5 (5.5) meV without (with) the spin detection mode, compatible with a spatial resolution better than 10 µm. This enables us to probe both spatially-resolved electronic structures and vector information of spin polarization in three dimensions. The performance of µ-SARPES apparatus is demonstrated by presenting ARPES and SARPES results from topological insulators and Au photolithography patterns on a Si (001) substrate.

Performance of a photoelectron momentum microscope in direct- and momentum-space imaging with ultraviolet photon sources

The Photoelectron-Related Image and Nano-Spectroscopy (PRINS) endstation located at the Taiwan Photon Source beamline 27A2 houses a photoelectron momentum microscope capable of performing direct-space imaging, momentum-space imaging and photoemission spectroscopy with position sensitivity. Here, the performance of this microscope is demonstrated using two in-house photon sources - an Hg lamp and He(I) radiation - on a standard checkerboard-patterned specimen and an Au(111) single crystal, respectively. By analyzing the intensity profile of the edge of the Au patterns, the Rashba-splitting of the Au(111) Shockley surface state at 300 K, and the photoelectron intensity across the Fermi edge at 80 K, the spatial, momentum and energy resolution were estimated to be 50 nm, 0.0172 Å-1 and 26 meV, respectively. Additionally, it is shown that the band structures acquired in either constant energy contour mode or momentum-resolved photoemission spectroscopy mode were in close agreement.

Soft X-ray Fermi surface tomography of palladium and rhodium via momentum microscopy

Fermi surfaces of transition metals, which describe all thermodynamical and transport quantities of solids, often fail to be modeled by one-electron mean-field theory due to strong correlations among the valence electrons. In addition, relativistic spin-orbit coupling pronounced in heavier elements lifts the degeneracy of the energy bands and further modifies the Fermi surface. Palladium and rhodium, two 4d metals attributed to show significant spin-orbit coupling and electron correlations, are ideal for a systematic and fundamental study of the two fundamental physical phenomena and their interplay in the electronic structure. In this study, we explored the Fermi surface of the 4d noble metals palladium and rhodium obtained via high-resolution constant initial state momentum microscopy. The complete 3D-Fermi surfaces of palladium and rhodium were tomographically mapped using soft X-ray photon energies from 34 eV up to 660 eV. To fully capture the orbital angular momentum of states across the Fermi surface, the Fermi surface tomography was performed using p- and s- polarized light. Applicability and limitations of the nearly-free electron final state model in photoemission are discussed using a complex band structure model supported by experimental evidence. The significance of spin-orbit coupling and electron correlations across the Fermi surfaces will be discussed within the context of the photoemission results. State-of-the-art fully relativistic Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker (KKR) calculations within the one-step model of photoemission are used to support the experimental results.

2D imaging spin-filter for NanoESCA based on Au/Ir(001) or Fe(001)-p(1×1)O

A two-dimensional imaging spin-filter for photo-emission electron microscopy is described. The spin-filter is capable of imaging the electron spin polarization of either real space or momentum space electron distributions. As a scattering target either Au/Ir(001) comes into use, where spin sensitivity results from using spin-orbit scattering or Fe(001)-p(1×1)O that exploits exchange interaction. Both scattering targets were characterized with respect to their working points and Sherman function in a separate setup. Spin-polarization images of secondary electrons from the magnetic domains of a poly-crystalline iron sample are shown using both scattering targets. Images with a spin-filter using Au/Ir(001) show more than 104 discrete detection channels which increases the effective two-dimensional figure-of-merit (FoM) of this spin-filter by four orders of magnitude compared to single-channel spin detectors. Using the exchange scattering target two spin-components have been imaged for the first time. A method to detect all three spin-components is also outlined.

Low energy electron microscopy at cryogenic temperatures

We describe a cryogenic sample chamber for low energy electron microscopy (LEEM), and present first experimental results. Modifications to our IBM/SPECS aberration-corrected LEEM instrument are presented first. These include incorporation of mechanisms for cooling the sample and its surroundings, and reduction of various sources of heat load. Using both liquid nitrogen and liquid helium, we have reached sample temperatures down to about 15 K. We also present first results for low-temperature LEEM, obtained on a three-monolayer pentacene film. Specifically, we observe a reduction of the electron beam irradiation damage cross-section at 15 eV by more than a factor of five upon cooling from 300 K down to 52 K. We also observe changes in the LEEM-IV spectra of the sample upon cooling, and discuss possible causes.

Angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy in a low-energy electron microscope

Spectroscopic photoemission microscopy is a well-established method to investigate the electronic structure of surfaces. In modern photoemission microscopes, the electron optics allow imaging of the image plane, momentum plane, or dispersive plane, depending on the lens setting. Furthermore, apertures allow filtering of energy-, real-, and momentum space. Here, we describe how a standard spectroscopic and low-energy electron microscope can be equipped with an additional slit at the entrance of the already present hemispherical analyzer to enable an angle- and energy-resolved photoemission mode with micrometer spatial selectivity. We apply a photogrammetric calibration to correct for image distortions of the projective system behind the analyzer and present spectra recorded on Au(111) as a benchmark. Our approach makes data acquisition in energy-momentum space more efficient, which is a necessity for laser-based pump-probe photoemission microscopy with femtosecond time resolution.

Phonon-Mediated Quasiparticle Lifetime Renormalizations in Few-Layer Hexagonal Boron Nitride

Understanding the collective behavior of the quasiparticles in solid-state systems underpins the field of nonvolatile electronics, including the opportunity to control many-body effects for well-desired physical phenomena and their applications. Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) is a wide-energy-bandgap semiconductor, showing immense potential as a platform for low-dimensional device heterostructures. It is an inert dielectric used for gated devices, having a negligible orbital hybridization when placed in contact with other systems. Despite its inertness, we discover a large electron mass enhancement in few-layer hBN affecting the lifetime of the π-band states. We show that the renormalization is phonon-mediated and consistent with both single- and multiple-phonon scattering events. Our findings thus unveil a so-far unknown many-body state in a wide-bandgap insulator, having important implications for devices using hBN as one of their building blocks.

Geometry-Induced Spin Filtering in Photoemission Maps from WTe_{2} Surface States

We demonstrate that an important quantum material WTe_{2} exhibits a new type of geometry-induced spin filtering effect in photoemission, stemming from low symmetry that is responsible for its exotic transport properties. Through the laser-driven spin-polarized angle-resolved photoemission Fermi surface mapping, we showcase highly asymmetric spin textures of electrons photoemitted from the surface states of WTe_{2}. Such asymmetries are not present in the initial state spin textures, which are bound by the time-reversal and crystal lattice mirror plane symmetries. The findings are reproduced qualitatively by theoretical modeling within the one-step model photoemission formalism. The effect could be understood within the free-electron final state model as an interference due to emission from different atomic sites. The observed effect is a manifestation of time-reversal symmetry breaking of the initial state in the photoemission process, and as such it cannot be eliminated, but only its magnitude influenced, by special experimental geometries.

Comment on "Spin- and angle-resolved inverse photoemission setup with spin orientation independent from electron incidence angle" [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 93, 093904 (2022)]

The paper under discussion promises a spin- and angle-resolved inverse-photoemission (IPE) setup, where the spin-polarization direction of the electron beam used for excitation "can be tuned to any preferred direction" while "preserving the parallel beam condition." We support the idea to improve IPE setups by introducing a three-dimensional spin-polarization rotator, but we put the presented results to the test by comparing them with the literature results obtained by existing setups. Based on this comparison, we conclude that the presented proof-of-principle experiments miss the target in several aspects. Most importantly, the key experiment of tuning the spin-polarization direction under otherwise allegedly identical experimental conditions causes changes in the IPE spectra that are in conflict with existing experimental results and basic quantum-mechanical considerations. We propose experimental test measurements to identify and overcome the shortcomings.

Ultrafast Electron Microscopy of Nanoscale Charge Dynamics in Semiconductors

The ultrafast dynamics of charge carriers in solids plays a pivotal role in emerging optoelectronics, photonics, energy harvesting, and quantum technology applications. However, the investigation and direct visualization of such nonequilibrium phenomena remains as a long-standing challenge, owing to the nanometer-femtosecond spatiotemporal scales at which the charge carriers evolve. Here, we propose and demonstrate an interaction mechanism enabling nanoscale imaging of the femtosecond dynamics of charge carriers in solids. This imaging modality, which we name charge dynamics electron microscopy (CDEM), exploits the strong interaction of free-electron pulses with terahertz (THz) near fields produced by the moving charges in an ultrafast scanning transmission electron microscope. The measured free-electron energy at different spatiotemporal coordinates allows us to directly retrieve the THz near-field amplitude and phase, from which we reconstruct movies of the generated charges by comparison to microscopic theory. The CDEM technique thus allows us to investigate previously inaccessible spatiotemporal regimes of charge dynamics in solids, providing insight into the photo-Dember effect and showing oscillations of photogenerated electron-hole distributions inside a semiconductor. Our work facilitates the exploration of a wide range of previously inaccessible charge-transport phenomena in condensed matter using ultrafast electron microscopy.

Spanning Fermi arcs in a two-dimensional magnet

The discovery of topological states of matter has led to a revolution in materials research. When external or intrinsic parameters break symmetries, global properties of topological materials change drastically. A paramount example is the emergence of Weyl nodes under broken inversion symmetry. While a rich variety of non-trivial quantum phases could in principle also originate from broken time-reversal symmetry, realizing systems that combine magnetism with complex topological properties is remarkably elusive. Here, we demonstrate that giant open Fermi arcs are created at the surface of ultrathin hybrid magnets where the Fermi-surface topology is substantially modified by hybridization with a heavy-metal substrate. The interplay between magnetism and topology allows us to control the shape and the location of the Fermi arcs by tuning the magnetization direction. The hybridization points in the Fermi surface can be attributed to a non-trivial mixed topology and induce hot-spots in the Berry curvature, dominating spin and charge transport as well as magneto-electric coupling effects.

It has been predicted that elemental Iron, with low dimensionality, will be a topological metal hosting Weyl nodes. Here, Chen et al. grow iron on tungsten, a heavy metal with a strong spin-orbit interaction, and using momentum microscopy, show the emergence of giant open Fermi arcs which can be shaped by varying the magnetization of the iron.

Spin- and angle-resolved inverse photoemission setup with spin orientation independent from electron incidence angle

A new spin- and angle-resolved inverse photoemission setup with a low-energy electron source is presented. The spin-polarized electron source, with a compact design, can decouple the spin polarization vector from the electron beam propagation vector, allowing one to explore any spin orientation at any wavevector in angle-resolved inverse photoemission. The beam polarization can be tuned to any preferred direction with a shielded electron optical system, preserving the parallel beam condition. We demonstrate the performances of the setup by measurements on Cu(001) and Au(111). We estimate the energy resolution of the overall system at room temperature to be ∼170 meV from k_BT_eff of a Cu(001) Fermi level, allowing a direct comparison to photoemission. The spin-resolved operation of the setup has been demonstrated by measuring the Rashba splitting of the Au(111) Shockley surface state. The effective polarization of the electron beam is P = 30% ± 3%, and the wavevector resolution is Δk_F ≲ 0.06 Å^-1. Measurements on the Au(111) surface state demonstrate how the electron beam polarization direction can be tuned in the three spatial dimensions. The maximum of the spin asymmetry is reached when the electron beam polarization is aligned with the in-plane spin polarization of the Au(111) surface state.

Formation of moiré interlayer excitons in space and time

Moiré superlattices in atomically thin van der Waals heterostructures hold great promise for extended control of electronic and valleytronic lifetimes^1-7, the confinement of excitons in artificial moiré lattices^8-13 and the formation of exotic quantum phases^14-18. Such moiré-induced emergent phenomena are particularly strong for interlayer excitons, where the hole and the electron are localized in different layers of the heterostructure^19,20. To exploit the full potential of correlated moiré and exciton physics, a thorough understanding of the ultrafast interlayer exciton formation process and the real-space wavefunction confinement is indispensable. Here we show that femtosecond photoemission momentum microscopy provides quantitative access to these key properties of the moiré interlayer excitons. First, we elucidate that interlayer excitons are dominantly formed through femtosecond exciton-phonon scattering and subsequent charge transfer at the interlayer-hybridized Σ valleys. Second, we show that interlayer excitons exhibit a momentum fingerprint that is a direct hallmark of the superlattice moiré modification. Third, we reconstruct the wavefunction distribution of the electronic part of the exciton and compare the size with the real-space moiré superlattice. Our work provides direct access to interlayer exciton formation dynamics in space and time and reveals opportunities to study correlated moiré and exciton physics for the future realization of exotic quantum phases of matter.

Through the Lens of a Momentum Microscope: Viewing Light-Induced Quantum Phenomena in 2D Materials

Van der Waals (vdW) materials at their 2D limit are diverse, flexible, and unique laboratories to study fundamental quantum phenomena and their future applications. Their novel properties rely on their pronounced Coulomb interactions, variety of crystal symmetries and spin-physics, and the ease of incorporation of different vdW materials to form sophisticated heterostructures. In particular, the excited state properties of many 2D semiconductors and semi-metals are relevant for their technological applications, particularly those that can be induced by light. In this paper, the recent advances made in studying out-of-equilibrium, light-induced, phenomena in these materials are reviewed using powerful, surface-sensitive, time-resolved photoemission-based techniques, with a particular emphasis on the emerging multi-dimensional photoemission spectroscopy technique of time-resolved momentum microscopy. The advances this technique has enabled in studying the nature and dynamics of occupied excited states in these materials are discussed. Then, the future research directions opened by these scientific and instrumental advancements are projected for studying the physics of 2D materials and the opportunities to engineer their band-structure and band-topology by laser fields.

On the problem of Dirac cones in fullerenes on gold

Artificial graphene based on molecular networks enables the creation of novel 2D materials with unique electronic and topological properties. Landau quantization has been demonstrated by CO molecules arranged on the two-dimensional electron gas on Cu(111) and the observation of electron quantization may succeed based on the created gauge fields. Recently, it was reported that instead of individual manipulation of CO molecules, simple deposition of nonpolar C₆₀ molecules on Cu(111) and Au(111) produces artificial graphene as evidenced by Dirac cones in photoemission spectroscopy. Here, we show that C₆₀-induced Dirac cones on Au(111) have a different origin. We argue that those are related to umklapp diffraction of surface electronic bands of Au on the molecular grid of C₆₀ in the final state of photoemission. We test this alternative explanation by precisely probing the dimensionality of the observed conical features in the photoemission spectra, by varying both the incident photon energy and the degree of charge doping via alkali adatoms. Using density functional theory calculations and spin-resolved photoemission we reveal the origin of the replicating Au(111) bands and resolve them as deep leaky surface resonances derived from the bulk Au sp-band residing at the boundary of its surface projection. We also discuss the manifold nature of these resonances which gives rise to an onion-like Fermi surface of Au(111).

Fermi surface chirality induced in a TaSe2 monosheet formed by a Ta/Bi2Se3 interface reaction

Spin-momentum locking in topological insulators and materials with Rashba-type interactions is an extremely attractive feature for novel spintronic devices and is therefore under intense investigation. Significant efforts are underway to identify new material systems with spin-momentum locking, but also to create heterostructures with new spintronic functionalities. In the present study we address both subjects and investigate a van der Waals-type heterostructure consisting of the topological insulator Bi₂Se₃ and a single Se-Ta-Se triple-layer (TL) of H-type TaSe₂ grown by a method which exploits an interface reaction between the adsorbed metal and selenium. We then show, using surface x-ray diffraction, that the symmetry of the TaSe₂-like TL is reduced from D_3h to C_3v resulting from a vertical atomic shift of the tantalum atom. Spin- and momentum-resolved photoemission indicates that, owing to the symmetry lowering, the states at the Fermi surface acquire an in-plane spin component forming a surface contour with a helical Rashba-like spin texture, which is coupled to the Dirac cone of the substrate. Our approach provides a route to realize chiral two-dimensional electron systems via interface engineering in van der Waals epitaxy that do not exist in the corresponding bulk materials.

Current limitations of spintronics devices based on bulk topological materials stimulate the search for new materials and structures with interesting spin properties. Here the authors report a chiral spin texture around the Fermi level related to structural symmetry breaking in a TaSe₂ layer grown on a Bi2Se3 surface.

Development of a versatile micro-focused angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy system with Kirkpatrick-Baez mirror optics

Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy using a micro-focused beam spot [micro-angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES)] is becoming a powerful tool to elucidate key electronic states of exotic quantum materials. We have developed a versatile micro-ARPES system based on the synchrotron radiation beam focused with a Kirkpatrick-Baez mirror optics. The mirrors are monolithically installed on a stage, which is driven with five-axis motion, and are vibrationally separated from the ARPES measurement system. Spatial mapping of the Au photolithography pattern on Si signifies the beam spot size of 10 µm (horizontal) × 12 µm (vertical) at the sample position, which is well suited to resolve the fine structure in local electronic states. Utilization of the micro-beam and the high precision sample motion system enables the accurate spatially resolved band-structure mapping, as demonstrated by the observation of a small band anomaly associated with tiny sample bending near the edge of a cleaved topological insulator single crystal.

Expanding the momentum field of view in angle-resolved photoemission systems with hemispherical analyzers

In photoelectron spectroscopy, the measured electron momentum range is intrinsically related to the excitation photon energy. Low photon energies <10 eV are commonly encountered in laser-based photoemission and lead to a momentum range that is smaller than the Brillouin zones of most materials. This can become a limiting factor when studying condensed matter with laser-based photoemission. An additional restriction is introduced by widely used hemispherical analyzers that record only electrons photoemitted in a solid angle set by the aperture size at the analyzer entrance. Here, we present an upgrade to increase the effective solid angle that is measured with a hemispherical analyzer. We achieve this by accelerating the photoelectrons toward the analyzer with an electric field that is generated by a bias voltage on the sample. Our experimental geometry is comparable to a parallel plate capacitor, and therefore, we approximate the electric field to be uniform along the photoelectron trajectory. With this assumption, we developed an analytic, parameter-free model that relates the measured angles to the electron momenta in the solid and verify its validity by comparing with experimental results on the charge density wave material TbTe₃. By providing a larger field of view in momentum space, our approach using a bias potential considerably expands the flexibility of laser-based photoemission setups.

Time-of-flight photoelectron momentum microscopy with 80-500 MHz photon sources: electron-optical pulse picker or bandpass pre-filter

The small time gaps of synchrotron radiation in conventional multi-bunch mode (100-500 MHz) or laser-based sources with high pulse rate (∼80 MHz) are prohibitive for time-of-flight (ToF) based photoelectron spectroscopy. Detectors with time resolution in the 100 ps range yield only 20-100 resolved time slices within the small time gap. Here we present two techniques of implementing efficient ToF recording at sources with high repetition rate. A fast electron-optical beam blanking unit with GHz bandwidth, integrated in a photoelectron momentum microscope, allows electron-optical `pulse-picking' with any desired repetition period. Aberration-free momentum distributions have been recorded at reduced pulse periods of 5 MHz (at MAX II) and 1.25 MHz (at BESSY II). The approach is compared with two alternative solutions: a bandpass pre-filter (here a hemispherical analyzer) or a parasitic four-bunch island-orbit pulse train, coexisting with the multi-bunch pattern on the main orbit. Chopping in the time domain or bandpass pre-selection in the energy domain can both enable efficient ToF spectroscopy and photoelectron momentum microscopy at 100-500 MHz synchrotrons, highly repetitive lasers or cavity-enhanced high-harmonic sources. The high photon flux of a UV-laser (80 MHz, <1 meV bandwidth) facilitates momentum microscopy with an energy resolution of 4.2 meV and an analyzed region-of-interest (ROI) down to <800 nm. In this novel approach to `sub-µm-ARPES' the ROI is defined by a small field aperture in an intermediate Gaussian image, regardless of the size of the photon spot.

Visualization of the strain-induced topological phase transition in a quasi-one-dimensional superconductor TaSe3

Control of the phase transition from topological to normal insulators can allow for an on/off switching of spin current. While topological phase transitions have been realized by elemental substitution in semiconducting alloys, such an approach requires preparation of materials with various compositions. Thus it is quite far from a feasible device application, which demands a reversible operation. Here we use angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy to visualize the strain-driven band-structure evolution of the quasi-one-dimensional superconductor TaSe₃. We demonstrate that it undergoes reversible strain-induced topological phase transitions from a strong topological insulator phase with spin-polarized, quasi-one-dimensional topological surface states, to topologically trivial semimetal and band insulating phases. The quasi-one-dimensional superconductor TaSe₃ provides a suitable platform for engineering the topological spintronics, for example as an on/off switch for a spin current that is robust against impurity scattering.

The 2021 ultrafast spectroscopic probes of condensed matter roadmap

In the 60 years since the invention of the laser, the scientific community has developed numerous fields of research based on these bright, coherent light sources, including the areas of imaging, spectroscopy, materials processing and communications. Ultrafast spectroscopy and imaging techniques are at the forefront of research into the light-matter interaction at the shortest times accessible to experiments, ranging from a few attoseconds to nanoseconds. Light pulses provide a crucial probe of the dynamical motion of charges, spins, and atoms on picosecond, femtosecond, and down to attosecond timescales, none of which are accessible even with the fastest electronic devices. Furthermore, strong light pulses can drive materials into unusual phases, with exotic properties. In this roadmap we describe the current state-of-the-art in experimental and theoretical studies of condensed matter using ultrafast probes. In each contribution, the authors also use their extensive knowledge to highlight challenges and predict future trends.

Projection-type electron spectroscopy collimator analyzer for charged particles and x-ray detections

We developed a compact sized device for angular and energy analysis of charged particles in a wide acceptance cone angle of nearly 1π steradian. This device is configured from an electrostatic lens comprising an axisymmetric aspherical mesh, which has a concave shape viewed from the point source, a set of axisymmetric electrodes, planar grids, microchannel plates, and a fluorescent screen positioned coaxially. The potentials of electrodes are adjusted so that the trajectories of the electrons with arbitrarily set kinetic energy are substantially parallelized by the electrostatic lens and enter the planar grid perpendicularly. Instead of the planar grid, a collimator plate with parallel holes can be used as an energy band-pass filter. The angular distribution of electrons with the selected kinetic energy is projected directly onto the fluorescent screen without converging and passing through a pinhole. This is a simple but significant electron-optical design to obtain wide-range angular distribution with high angular resolution, and the analyzer can be suitably used for the two-dimensional angular distribution measurements of electrons and ions emitted from surfaces.

Direct observation of spin-resolved valence band electronic states from a buried magnetic layer with hard X-ray photoemission

We report spin-resolved hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (spin-HAXPES) for a buried Fe thin film in the valence band region. For the spin-HAXPES experiments, we developed an ultracompact built-in Mott-type spin-filter in a sample carrier, which enabled us to use the merit of two-dimensional (2D) multi-channel detector in a recent photoelectron analyser without modifying an apparatus for HAXPES. The effective Sherman function and the single-channel figure of merit (FOM) of the spin-filter were assessed to be -0.07 and 2.0 × 10^-4, respectively. By utilizing the 2D detector of the photoelectron analyser, the effective FOM increased by a factor of ~4 × 10⁴ compared to the case when only 1 channel of the 2D detector was used. We have applied spin-HAXPES to MgO(2 nm)/Fe(50 nm)/MgO(001) structures. The spin-HAXPES experiments revealed the majority and minority spin electronic states and the spin polarisation of the buried Fe thin film. Due to the large photoionization cross-section of the 4s orbital of Fe in HAXPES, the spin-resolved spectra mainly reflected the Fe 3d and 4s states. The observed spin-HAXPES and spin polarisation spectral shapes agreed well with the calculated spin-resolved cross-section weighted densities of states and spin polarisation spectra. In contrast, a small discrepancy in the energy scale was recognised due to the electron correlation effects. These results suggest that the electron correlation effects are important in the electronic structure of bulk Fe, and spin-HAXPES is useful for detecting genuine spin-resolved valence band electronic structures of buried magnetic materials.

Large Fermi-Energy Shift and Suppression of Trivial Surface States in NbP Weyl Semimetal Thin Films

Weyl semimetals, a class of 3D topological materials, exhibit a unique electronic structure featuring linear band crossings and disjoint surface states (Fermi-arcs). While first demonstrations of topologically driven phenomena have been realized in bulk crystals, efficient routes to control the electronic structure have remained largely unexplored. Here, a dramatic modification of the electronic structure in epitaxially grown NbP Weyl semimetal thin films is reported, using in situ surface engineering and chemical doping strategies that do not alter the NbP lattice structure and symmetry, retaining its topological nature. Through the preparation of a dangling-bond-free, P-terminated surface which manifests in a surface reconstruction, all the well-known trivial surface states of NbP are fully suppressed, resulting in a purely topological Fermi-arc dispersion. In addition, a substantial Fermi-energy shift from -0.2 to 0.3 eV across the Weyl points is achieved by surface chemical doping, unlocking access to the hitherto unexplored n-type region of the Weyl spectrum. These findings constitute a milestone toward surface-state and Fermi-level engineering of topological bands in Weyl semimetals, and, while there are still challenges in minimizing doping-driven disorder and grain boundary density in the films, they do represent a major advance to realize device heterostructures based on Weyl physics.

Suppression of the vacuum space-charge effect in fs-photoemission by a retarding electrostatic front lens

The performance of time-resolved photoemission experiments at fs-pulsed photon sources is ultimately limited by the e-e Coulomb interaction, downgrading energy and momentum resolution. Here, we present an approach to effectively suppress space-charge artifacts in momentum microscopes and photoemission microscopes. A retarding electrostatic field generated by a special objective lens repels slow electrons, retaining the k-image of the fast photoelectrons. The suppression of space-charge effects scales with the ratio of the photoelectron velocities of fast and slow electrons. Fields in the range from -20 to -1100 V/mm for E_kin = 100 eV to 4 keV direct secondaries and pump-induced slow electrons back to the sample surface. Ray tracing simulations reveal that this happens within the first 40 to 3 μm above the sample surface for E_kin = 100 eV to 4 keV. An optimized front-lens design allows switching between the conventional accelerating and the new retarding mode. Time-resolved experiments at E_kin = 107 eV using fs extreme ultraviolet probe pulses from the free-electron laser FLASH reveal that the width of the Fermi edge increases by just 30 meV at an incident pump fluence of 22 mJ/cm² (retarding field -21 V/mm). For an accelerating field of +2 kV/mm and a pump fluence of only 5 mJ/cm², it increases by 0.5 eV (pump wavelength 1030 nm). At the given conditions, the suppression mode permits increasing the slow-electron yield by three to four orders of magnitude. The feasibility of the method at high energies is demonstrated without a pump beam at E_kin = 3830 eV using hard x rays from the storage ring PETRA III. The approach opens up a previously inaccessible regime of pump fluences for photoemission experiments.

An open-source, end-to-end workflow for multidimensional photoemission spectroscopy

Characterization of the electronic band structure of solid state materials is routinely performed using photoemission spectroscopy. Recent advancements in short-wavelength light sources and electron detectors give rise to multidimensional photoemission spectroscopy, allowing parallel measurements of the electron spectral function simultaneously in energy, two momentum components and additional physical parameters with single-event detection capability. Efficient processing of the photoelectron event streams at a rate of up to tens of megabytes per second will enable rapid band mapping for materials characterization. We describe an open-source workflow that allows user interaction with billion-count single-electron events in photoemission band mapping experiments, compatible with beamlines at 3rd and 4rd generation light sources and table-top laser-based setups. The workflow offers an end-to-end recipe from distributed operations on single-event data to structured formats for downstream scientific tasks and storage to materials science database integration. Both the workflow and processed data can be archived for reuse, providing the infrastructure for documenting the provenance and lineage of photoemission data for future high-throughput experiments.

Single-hemisphere photoelectron momentum microscope with time-of-flight recording

Photoelectron momentum microscopy is an emerging powerful method for angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES), especially in combination with imaging spin filters. These instruments record k_x-k_y images, typically exceeding a full Brillouin zone. As energy filters, double-hemispherical or time-of-flight (ToF) devices are in use. Here, we present a new approach for momentum mapping of the full half-space, based on a large single hemispherical analyzer (path radius of 225 mm). Excitation by an unfocused He lamp yielded an energy resolution of 7.7 meV. The performance is demonstrated by k-imaging of quantum-well states in Au and Xe multilayers. The α²-aberration term (α, entrance angle in the dispersive plane) and the transit-time spread of the electrons in the spherical field are studied in a large pass-energy (6 eV-660 eV) and angular range (α up to ±7°). It is discussed how the method circumvents the preconditions of previous theoretical work on the resolution limitation due to the α²-term and the transit-time spread, being detrimental for time-resolved experiments. Thanks to k-resolved detection, both effects can be corrected numerically. We introduce a dispersive-plus-ToF hybrid mode of operation, with an imaging ToF analyzer behind the exit slit of the hemisphere. This instrument captures 3D data arrays I (E_B, k_x, k_y), yielding a gain up to N² in recording efficiency (N being the number of resolved time slices). A key application will be ARPES at sources with high pulse rates such as synchrotrons with 500 MHz time structure.

A quantitative comparison of time-of-flight momentum microscopes and hemispherical analyzers for time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy experiments

Time-of-flight-based momentum microscopy has a growing presence in photoemission studies, as it enables parallel energy- and momentum-resolved acquisition of the full photoelectron distribution. Here, we report table-top extreme ultraviolet time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (trARPES) featuring both a hemispherical analyzer and a momentum microscope within the same setup. We present a systematic comparison of the two detection schemes and quantify experimentally relevant parameters, including pump- and probe-induced space-charge effects, detection efficiency, photoelectron count rates, and depth of focus. We highlight the advantages and limitations of both instruments based on exemplary trARPES measurements of bulk WSe₂. Our analysis demonstrates the complementary nature of the two spectrometers for time-resolved ARPES experiments. Their combination in a single experimental apparatus allows us to address a broad range of scientific questions with trARPES.

Detection of femtosecond spin injection into a thin gold layer by time and spin resolved photoemission

The ultrafast demagnetization effect allows for the generation of femtosecond spin current pulses, which is expected to extend the fields of spin transport and spintronics to the femtosecond time domain. Thus far, directly observing the spin polarization induced by spin injection on the femtosecond time scale has not been possible. Herein, we present time- and spin-resolved photoemission results of spin injection from a laser-excited ferromagnet into a thin gold layer. The injected spin polarization is aligned along the magnetization direction of the underlying ferromagnet. Its decay time depends on the thickness of the gold layer, indicating that transport as well as storage of spins are relevant. This capacitive aspect of spin transport may limit the speed of future spintronic devices.

Time-resolved momentum microscopy with a 1 MHz high-harmonic extreme ultraviolet beamline

Recent progress in laser-based high-repetition rate extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light sources and multidimensional photoelectron spectroscopy enables the build-up of a new generation of time-resolved photoemission experiments. Here, we present a setup for time-resolved momentum microscopy driven by a 1 MHz fs EUV table-top light source optimized for the generation of 26.5 eV photons. The setup provides simultaneous access to the temporal evolution of the photoelectron's kinetic energy and in-plane momentum. We discuss opportunities and limitations of our new experiment based on a series of static and time-resolved measurements on graphene.

Realization of Epitaxial NbP and TaP Weyl Semimetal Thin Films

Weyl semimetals (WSMs) exhibit an electronic structure governed by linear band dispersions and degenerate (Weyl) points that lead to exotic physical phenomena. While WSMs were established in bulk monopnictide compounds several years ago, the growth of thin films remains a challenge. Here, we report the bottom-up synthesis of single-crystalline NbP and TaP thin films, 9 to 70 nm thick, by means of molecular beam epitaxy. The as-grown epitaxial films feature a phosphorus-rich stoichiometry, a tensile-strained unit cell, and a homogeneous surface termination, unlike their bulk crystal counterparts. These properties result in an electronic structure governed by topological surface states as directly observed using in situ momentum photoemission microscopy, along with a Fermi-level shift of -0.2 eV with respect to the intrinsic chemical potential. Although the Fermi energy of the as-grown samples is still far from the Weyl points, carrier mobilities close to 103 cm2/(V s) have been measured at room temperature in patterned Hall-bar devices. The ability to grow thin films of Weyl semimetals that can be tailored by doping or strain, is an important step toward the fabrication of functional WSM-based devices and heterostructures.

Spin-dependent electron reflection at W(110)

Spin-dependent reflection of low-energy electrons at the W(110) surface caused by spin-orbit interaction was studied experimentally and theoretically. Comprehensive information for a wide range of electron incidence angles and energies was collected via maps for the reflectivity, the spin-dependent reflection asymmetry, and the figure of merit of the spin separation. The experimental results are compared with calculations of the scattering process using a realistic surface potential barrier. The results are discussed in view of possible applications of W(110) as a scattering target in spin-polarization detectors. Possible working points for use in single- as well as multi-channel spin-polarization-detection devices are identified and discussed.

Time- and momentum-resolved photoemission studies using time-of-flight momentum microscopy at a free-electron laser

Time-resolved photoemission with ultrafast pump and probe pulses is an emerging technique with wide application potential. Real-time recording of nonequilibrium electronic processes, transient states in chemical reactions, or the interplay of electronic and structural dynamics offers fascinating opportunities for future research. Combining valence-band and core-level spectroscopy with photoelectron diffraction for electronic, chemical, and structural analyses requires few 10 fs soft X-ray pulses with some 10 meV spectral resolution, which are currently available at high repetition rate free-electron lasers. We have constructed and optimized a versatile setup commissioned at FLASH/PG2 that combines free-electron laser capabilities together with a multidimensional recording scheme for photoemission studies. We use a full-field imaging momentum microscope with time-of-flight energy recording as the detector for mapping of 3D band structures in (k_x, k_y, E) parameter space with unprecedented efficiency. Our instrument can image full surface Brillouin zones with up to 7 Å^-1 diameter in a binding-energy range of several eV, resolving about 2.5 × 10⁵ data voxels simultaneously. Using the ultrafast excited state dynamics in the van der Waals semiconductor WSe₂ measured at photon energies of 36.5 eV and 109.5 eV, we demonstrate an experimental energy resolution of 130 meV, a momentum resolution of 0.06 Å^-1, and a system response function of 150 fs.

Progress in HAXPES performance combining full-field k-imaging with time-of-flight recording

An alternative approach to hard-X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) has been established. The instrumental key feature is an increase of the dimensionality of the recording scheme from 2D to 3D. A high-energy momentum microscope detects electrons with initial kinetic energies up to 8 keV with a k-resolution of 0.025 Å-1, equivalent to an angular resolution of 0.034°. A special objective lens with k-space acceptance up to 25 Å-1 allows for simultaneous full-field imaging of many Brillouin zones. Combined with time-of-flight (ToF) parallel energy recording this yields maximum parallelization. Thanks to the high brilliance (1013 hν s-1 in a spot of <20 µm diameter) of beamline P22 at PETRA III (Hamburg, Germany), the microscope set a benchmark in HAXPES recording speed, i.e. several million counts per second for core-level signals and one million for d-bands of transition metals. The concept of tomographic k-space mapping established using soft X-rays works equally well in the hard X-ray range. Sharp valence band k-patterns of Re, collected at an excitation energy of 6 keV, correspond to direct transitions to the 28th repeated Brillouin zone. Measured total energy resolutions (photon bandwidth plus ToF-resolution) are 62 meV and 180 meV FWHM at 5.977 keV for monochromator crystals Si(333) and Si(311) and 450 meV at 4.0 keV for Si(111). Hard X-ray photoelectron diffraction (hXPD) patterns with rich fine structure are recorded within minutes. The short photoelectron wavelength (10% of the interatomic distance) `amplifies' phase differences, making full-field hXPD a sensitive structural tool.

Design for a high resolution electron energy loss microscope

An electron optical column has been designed for High Resolution Electron Energy Loss Microscopy (HREELM). The column is composed of electron lenses and a beam separator that are placed between an electron source based on a laser excited cesium atom beam and a time-of-flight (ToF) spectrometer or a hemispherical analyzer (HSA). The instrument will be able to perform full field low energy electron imaging of surfaces with sub-micron spatial resolution and meV energy resolution necessary for the analysis of local vibrational spectra. Thus, non-contact, real space mapping of microscopic variations in vibrational levels will be made possible. A second imaging mode will allow for the mapping of the phonon dispersion relations from microscopic regions defined by an appropriate field aperture.

Acceptance-cone-tunable electron spectrometer for highly-efficient constant energy mapping

We have developed an acceptance-cone-tunable (ACT) electron spectrometer for the highly efficient constant-energy photoelectron mapping of functional materials. The ACT spectrometer consists of the hemispherical deflection analyzer with the mesh-type electrostatic lens near the sample. The photoelectron trajectory can be converged by applying a negative bias to the sample and grounding the mesh lens and the analyzer entrance. The performance of the present ACT spectrometer with neither rotating nor tilting of the sample is demonstrated by the wide-angle observation of the well-known π-band dispersion of a single crystalline graphite over the Brillouin zone. The acceptance cone of the spectrometer is expanded by a factor of 3.30 when the negative bias voltage is 10 times as high as the kinetic energy of photoelectrons.

Imaging properties of hemispherical electrostatic energy analyzers for high resolution momentum microscopy

Hemispherical deflection analyzers are the most widely used energy filters for state-of-the-art electron spectroscopy. Due to the high spherical symmetry, they are also well suited as imaging energy filters for electron microscopy. Here, we review the imaging properties of hemispherical deflection analyzers with emphasis on the application for cathode lens microscopy. In particular, it turns out that aberrations, in general limiting the image resolution, cancel out at the entrance and exit of the analyzer. This finding allows more compact imaging energy filters for momentum microscopy or photoelectron emission microscopy. For instance, high resolution imaging is possible, using only a single hemisphere. Conversely, a double pass hemispherical analyzer can double the energy dispersion, which means it can double the energy resolution at certain transmission, or can multiply the transmission at certain energy resolution.

Band structure engineering in 3D topological insulators

The discovery of novel topological phases has revolutionized the way we think about electronic matter. Topologically protected states have been demonstrated for many materials, however, creating materials that exhibit desired properties often remains a challenge. For example, one of the key challenges in three dimensional topological insulators has been the realization of insulating bulk, such that the unique properties of surface states could be fully employed in electron transport applications. Further challenges are in creating materials that simultaneously exhibit states protected by various symmetries on their different surfaces, inducing magnetic exchange coupling into the topological materials, as well as potentially creating non-trivial transient electronic states. This review presents theoretical concepts and a selection of experimental results from the point view of a spectroscopist, and as such might be useful for physicists who want to get familiar with the key concepts in a self-contained form with formalism reduced to readily understandable concepts.

Modification of Pb quantum well states by the adsorption of organic molecules

The successful implementation of nanoscale materials in next generation optoelectronic devices crucially depends on our ability to functionalize and design low dimensional materials according to the desired field of application. Recently, organic adsorbates have revealed an enormous potential to alter the occupied surface band structure of tunable materials by the formation of tailored molecule-surface bonds. Here, we extend this concept of adsorption-induced surface band structure engineering to the unoccupied part of the surface band structure. This is achieved by our comprehensive investigation of the unoccupied band structure of a lead (Pb) monolayer film on the Ag(1 1 1) surface prior and after the adsorption of one monolayer of the aromatic molecule 3,4,9,10-perylene-tetracarboxylic-dianhydride (PTCDA). Using two-photon momentum microscopy, we show that the unoccupied states of the Pb/Ag(1 1 1) bilayer system are dominated by a parabolic quantum well state (QWS) in the center of the surface Brillouin zone with Pb p[Formula: see text] orbital character and a side band with almost linear dispersion showing Pb p[Formula: see text] orbital character. After the adsorption of PTCDA, the Pb side band remains completely unaffected while the signal of the Pb QWS is fully suppressed. This adsorption induced change in the unoccupied Pb band structure coincides with an interfacial charge transfer from the Pb layer into the PTCDA molecule. We propose that this charge transfer and the correspondingly vertical (partially chemical) interaction across the PTCDA/Pb interface suppresses the existence of the QWS in the Pb layer. Our results hence unveil a new possibility to orbital selectively tune and control the entire surface band structure of low dimensional systems by the adsorption of organic molecules.

Orbital Fingerprint of Topological Fermi Arcs in the Weyl Semimetal TaP

The monopnictides TaAs and TaP are well-established Weyl semimetals. Yet, a precise assignment of Fermi arcs, accommodating the predicted chiral charge of the bulk Weyl points, has been difficult in these systems, and the topological character of different surface features in the Fermi surface is not fully understood. Here, employing a joint analysis from linear dichroism in angle-resolved photoemission and first-principles calculations, we unveil the orbital texture on the full Fermi surface of TaP(001). We observe pronounced switches in the orbital texture at the projected Weyl nodes, and show how they facilitate a topological classification of the surface band structure. Our findings establish a critical role of the orbital degrees of freedom in mediating the surface-bulk connectivity in Weyl semimetals.

A bismuth triiodide monosheet on Bi2Se3(0001)

A stable BiI₃ monosheet has been grown for the first time on the (0001) surface of the topological insulator Bi₂Se₃ as confirmed by scanning tunnelling microscopy, surface X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoemision spectroscopy. BiI₃ is deposited by molecular beam epitaxy from the crystalline BiTeI precursor that undergoes decomposition sublimation. The key fragment of the bulk BiI₃ structure, \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$${{\rm{a}}}_{\infty }^{2}$$\end{document}a∞2[I—Bi—I] layer of edge-sharing BiI₆ octahedra, is preserved in the ultra-thin film limit, but exhibits large atomic relaxations. The stacking sequence of the trilayers and alternations of the Bi—I distances in the monosheet are the same as in the bulk BiI₃ structure. Momentum resolved photoemission spectroscopy indicates a direct band gap of 1.2 eV. The Dirac surface state is completely destroyed and a new flat band appears in the band gap of the BiI₃ film that could be interpreted as an interface state.

Kink far below the Fermi level reveals new electron-magnon scattering channel in Fe

Many properties of real materials can be modeled using ab initio methods within a single-particle picture. However, for an accurate theoretical treatment of excited states, it is necessary to describe electron-electron correlations including interactions with bosons: phonons, plasmons, or magnons. In this work, by comparing spin- and momentum-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements to many-body calculations carried out with a newly developed first-principles method, we show that a kink in the electronic band dispersion of a ferromagnetic material can occur at much deeper binding energies than expected (E_b = 1.5 eV). We demonstrate that the observed spectral signature reflects the formation of a many-body state that includes a photohole bound to a coherent superposition of renormalized spin-flip excitations. The existence of such a many-body state sheds new light on the physics of the electron-magnon interaction which is essential in fields such as spintronics and Fe-based superconductivity.

The conduction electron and magnon interactions are essential for the understanding and development of spintronics and superconductivity. Here the authors show a deep binding energy kink in spin-resolved photoemission spectra which is understood as a signature the many-body spin flip excitation in Fe single crystal thin film.