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The saddle point (Van Hove singularity) exhibits a divergent density of states in two-dimensional systems, leading to fascinating phenomena such as strong correlations and unconventional superconductivity, yet it is seldom observed in three-dimensional (3D) systems. In this work we find two types of 3D higher-order saddle points (HOSPs) in emerging 3D kagome metals YbCo_{6}Ge_{6} and MgCo_{6}Ge_{6}. Both HOSPs exhibit a singularity in their density of states, which is significantly enhanced compared to the ordinary saddle point. The HOSP near the Fermi energy generates a flatband extending a large area in the Brillouin zone, potentially amplifying the correlation effect and fostering electronic instabilities. Two types of HOSPs exhibit distinct robustness upon element substitution and lattice distortions in these kagome compounds. Our work paves the way for engineering exotic band structures, such as saddle points and flatbands, and exploring interesting phenomena in Co-based kagome materials.

Abstract Topological semimetals with symmetry-protected band crossings have emerged as a rich landscape to explore intriguing electronic phenomena. Nonsymmorphic symmetries in particular have been shown to play an important role in protecting the crossings along a line (rather than a point) in momentum space. Here we report experimental and theoretical evidence for Dirac nodal line crossings along the Brillouin zone boundaries in PtPb4, arising from the nonsymmorphic symmetry of its crystal structure. Interestingly, while the nodal lines would remain gapless in the absence of spin–orbit coupling (SOC), the SOC, in this case, plays a detrimental role to topology by lifting the band degeneracy everywhere except at a set of isolated points. Nevertheless, the nodal line is observed to have a bandwidth much smaller than that found in density functional theory (DFT). Our findings reveal PtPb4 to be a material system with narrow crossings approximately protected by nonsymmorphic crystalline symmetries.

It was predicted that in the regime of strong electron-phonon interactions, electrons and phonons can form a coupled non-equilibrium state, characterized by the conservation of the total momentum and by hydrodynamic transport. Here, the authors report experimental evidence for such a coupled electron-phonon liquid in NbGe2.

Abstract We report a layered ternary selenide BaPt4Se6 featuring sesqui-selenide Pt2Se3 layers sandwiched by Ba atoms. The Pt2Se3 layers in this compound can be derived from the Dirac-semimetal PtSe2 phase with Se vacancies that form a honeycomb structure. This structure results in a Pt (VI) and Pt (II) mixed-valence compound with both PtSe6 octahedra and PtSe4 square net coordination configurations. Temperature-dependent electrical transport measurements suggest two distinct anomalies: a resistivity crossover, mimic to the metal-insulator (M-I) transition at ~150 K, and a resistivity plateau at temperatures below 10 K. The resistivity crossover is not associated with any structural, magnetic, or charge order modulated phase transitions. Magnetoresistivity, Hall, and heat capacity measurements concurrently suggest an existing hidden state below 5 K in this system. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements reveal a metallic state and no dramatic reconstruction of the electronic structure up to 200 K.

Abstract Supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) activation provides milder conditions to process covalent organic frameworks (COFs) without compromising their crystallinity and porosity. To this end, three hydrazone COFs (TFPB-DHz COF, TFPT-DHz COF, Py-DHz COF) were synthesized with a terephthaloyl dihydrazide linker (DHz) which has no substituents. To date, the synthesis of hydrazone COFs without a narrow range of alkoxy linkers has not been possible. The scCO2-activated hydrazone-linked COFs in this study were crystalline and had high surface areas (surface areas of TFPB-DHz COF, TFPT-DHz COF, and Py-DHz COF were 790, 1199, and 932 m2/g, respectively). This study shows the significance of using milder activation methods for making hydrazone-linked COF structures that were previously inaccessible.

Abstract Due to its cooperative nature, magnetic ordering involves a complex interplay between spin, charge, and lattice degrees of freedom, which can lead to strong competition between magnetic states. Binary Fe3Ga4 is one such material that exhibits competing orders having a ferromagnetic (FM) ground state, an antiferromagnetic (AFM) behavior at intermediate temperatures, and a conspicuous re-entrance of the FM state at high temperature. Through a combination of neutron diffraction experiments and simulations, we have discovered that the AFM state is an incommensurate spin-density wave (ISDW) ordering generated by nesting in the spin polarized Fermi surface. These two magnetic states, FM and ISDW, are seldom observed in the same material without application of a polarizing magnetic field. To date, this unusual mechanism has never been observed and its elemental origins could have far reaching implications in many other magnetic systems that contain strong competition between these types of magnetic order. Furthermore, the competition between magnetic states results in a susceptibility to external perturbations allowing the magnetic transitions in Fe3Ga4 to be controlled via temperature, magnetic field, disorder, and pressure. Thus, Fe3Ga4 has potential for application in novel magnetic memory devices, such as the magnetic components of tunneling magnetoresistance spintronics devices.

The ZrSiS family of compounds has garnered interest as Dirac nodal-line semimetals and offers an approach to study structural motifs coupled with electronic features, such as Dirac crossings. CeSbTe, of the ZrSiS/PbFCl structure type, is of interest due to its magnetically tunable topological states. The crystal structure consists of rare earth capped square nets separating the magnetic Ce–Te layers. In this work, we report the single crystal growth, magnetic properties, and electronic structures of LnSb1−xBixTe (Ln = La, Ce, Pr; x ∼ 0.2) and CeBiTe, adopting the CeSbTe crystal structure, and the implication of tuning the electronic properties by chemical substitution.

The title compound, C36H24O6·CH2Cl2, is a dimer of two essentially planar (r.m.s., deviations of fitted plane of 14 pyracene C atoms = 0.0539 and 0.0543 Å) tetracyclic pyracene frameworks (each with four methyl groups and three carbonyl groups on the peripheral carbon atoms) twisted along a central C=C bond with an angle of 50.78 (3)° at 90 K. There are notably long Csp2—Csp2 bonds associated with the carbonyl groups, the longest being 1.601 (3) Å between two carbonyl C atoms. There are also intermolecular carbonyl...carbonyl interactions of both parallel and antiparallel types, with C...O distances in the range 3.041 (3) to 3.431 (2) Å. This compound is of interest with respect to the synthesis of fullerene fragments, such as corannulene and semibuckminsterfullerene derivatives (or `buckybowls'), and is a side product of the previously reported oxidation reaction. Structural details, such as planarity analysis of fused rings, out-of-plane deviation of substituents, intermolecular interactions, and longer than typical bond lengths, will be discussed as well as comparisons to structurally related compounds.

Presented here is a simple and robust approach for the integration of mixed-scale (nm–cm) structures into fluidic devices. We report on devices composed of large-area polymer nanopillar arrays of high aspect ratio (33–667) integrated into microfluidic channels fabricated by cast-molding polymerization of methyl methacrylate with mechanically/lithographically patterned, nanoporous aluminium oxide (AAO) templates. The microchannels containing the nanopillar arrays can be chemically functionalized and used for a variety of applications, such as separation beds or solid-phase reactors/extractors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]