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Topological semimetals are intriguing targets for exploring unconventional physical properties of massless fermions. Among them, nodal line or nodal ring semimetals have attracted attention for their unique one-dimensional band contact in momentum space and resulting nontrivial quantum phenomena. By field angular resolved magnetotransport measurements and theoretical calculations, we show that pressurized black phosphorus (BP) is an ideal nodal ring semimetal with weak spin-orbit coupling, which has a sole and carrier density-tunable nodal ring isolated from other trivial bands. We also revealed that the large magnetoresistance effect and its field-angular dependence in semimetallic BP are due to highly anisotropic relaxation time. Our results establish pressurized BP as an elemental model material for exploring nontrivial quantum properties unique to the topological nodal ring.

Given the rarity of metallic systems that exhibit ferroelectric-like transitions, it is apparently challenging to find a system that simultaneously possesses superconductivity and ferroelectric-like structural instability. Here, we report the observation of superconductivity at 2.4 K in a layered semimetal SrAuBi characterized by strong spin-orbit coupling (SOC) and ferroelectric-like lattice distortion. Single crystals of SrAuBi have been successfully synthesized and found to show a polar-nonpolar structure transition at 214 K, which is associated with the buckling of Au-Bi honeycomb lattice. On the basis of the band calculations considering SOC, we found significant Rashba-type spin splitting and symmetry-protected multiple Dirac points near the Fermi level. We believe that this discovery opens up new possibilities of pursuing exotic superconducting states associated with the semimetallic band structure without space inversion symmetry and the topological surface state with the strong SOC., Comment: 17 pages, 6 figures (npj Quantum Materials in press)

We investigated the electronic structure and superconducting properties of single-crystalline LaCuSb$_2$. The resistivity, magnetization, and specific heat measurements showed that LaCuSb$_2$ is a bulk superconductor. The observed Shubnikov-de Haas oscillation and magnetic field dependence of the Hall resistivity can be reasonably understood assuming a slightly hole-doped Fermi surface. Electron-phonon coupling calculation clarified the difference from the isostructural compound LaAgSb$_2$ indicating that (i) low-frequency vibration modes related to the interstitial layer sandwiched between the Sb-square nets significantly contribute to the superconductivity and (ii) carriers with sizable electron--phonon coupling distribute isotropically on the Fermi surface. These are assumed to be the origin of higher superconducting transition temperature compared with LaAgSb$_2$. We conclude that the superconducting properties of LaCuSb$_2$ can be understood within the framework of conventional phonon-mediated mechanism., Comment: 23 pages, 9 figures

We report the observation of superconductivity with multiple magnetic ordering and Rashba-type spin-orbit coupling in a layered polar semimetal EuAuBi. Magnetic transition is observed at 4 K, followed by a superconducting transition at 2.2 K, which is sensitive to the crystal surface conditions. The upper critical field Hc2 of 9.8 T for the out-of-plane field is three times higher than that for the in-plane field, which can be associated with the two-dimensional structure or the surface state. On the basis of first-principles calculations, it is found that the characteristic Hc2 possibly reflects the anisotropic modification of the Fermi surface by the effective combination of Rashba-type spin splitting and Zeeman spin splitting enhanced by Eu moments., Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures

We discover superconductivity (SC) in LaAgSb$_2$ at ambient pressure and its close correlation with a charge density wave (CDW) under pressure. The superconducting transition temperature ($T_c$) exhibits a sharp peak at the CDW critical pressure of 3.2 GPa. We demonstrate that the carriers inhabiting the Sb-square net is crucial not only in the formation of CDW but also in SC for their relatively strong electron-phonon coupling (EPC). Furthermore, theoretical EPC strength in pristine LaAgSb$_2$ cannot explain the observed peak with $T_c\sim 1$ K, which indicates that an additional mechanism reinforces SC only around the CDW critical pressure.

The magnetic structure of antiferromagnetic $\alpha$-Mn has been unclarified for almost 70 years since its magnetism was discovered. We measured the zero-field nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of antiferromagnetic $\alpha$-Mn to obtain further insight into magnetism below $T_{\text{N}} = 95$ K. The site II spectra split into two sites with five subpeaks owing to quadrupole interaction, and this shows that the ordered moments at site II are slightly tilted from the $[001]$ direction. The site III spectra revealed that this site splits into four sites below $T_{\text{N}}$. These findings clearly demonstrate that the antiferromagnetic $\alpha$-Mn symmetry is lower than previously considered., Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures, 2 tables

Square-net-layered materials have attracted attention as an extended research platform of Dirac fermions and of exotic magneto-transport phenomena. In this study, we investigated the magneto-transport properties of LaAgSb$_2$, which has Sb-square-net layers and shows charge density wave (CDW) transitions at ambient pressure. The application of pressure suppresses the CDWs, and above a pressure of 3.2 GPa, a disordered phase with no CDWs is realized. By utilizing a mechanical rotator combined with a high-pressure cell, we observed the angular dependence of the Shubnikov-de Haas (SdH) oscillation up to 3.5 GPa and confirmed the notable two-dimensional nature of the Fermi surface. In the disordered phase, we also observed a remarkable field-angular-dependent magnetoresistance (MR), which exhibited a "butterfly-like" polar pattern. To understand these results, we theoretically calculated the Fermi surface and conductivity tensor at the disordered phase. We showed that the SdH frequency and Hall coefficient calculated based on the present Fermi surface model agree well with the experiment. The transport properties in the disordered phase are mostly dominated by the anisotropic Dirac band, which has the highest conductivity owing to linear energy dispersions. We also proposed that momentum-dependent relaxation time plays an important role in the large transverse MR and negative longitudinal MR in the disordered phase, which is experimentally supported by the considerable violation of Kohler's scaling rule. Although quantitatively complete reproduction was not achieved, the calculation showed that the elemental features of the butterfly MR could be reasonably explained as the geometrical effect of the Fermi surface., Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures

We have investigated the low-temperature magnetism of sodium superoxide (NaO$_{2}$), in which spin, orbital, and lattice degrees of freedom are closely entangled. The magnetic susceptibility shows anomalies at $T_{1}=220$ K and $T_{2}=190$ K, which correspond well to the structural phase transition temperatures, and a sudden decrease below $T_{3}=34$ K. At 4.2 K, the magnetization shows a clear stepwise anomaly around 30 T with a large hysteresis. In addition, the muon spin relaxation experiments indicate no magnetic phase transition down to $T=0.3$ K. The inelastic neutron scattering spectrum exhibits magnetic excitation with a finite energy gap. These results confirm that the ground state of NaO$_{2}$ is a spin-singlet state. To understand this ground state in NaO$_{2}$, we performed Raman scattering experiments. All the Raman-active libration modes expected for the marcasite phase below $T_{2}$ are observed. Furthermore, we find that several new peaks appear below $T_{3}$. This directly evidences the low crystal symmetry, namely, the presence of the phase transition at $T_{3}$. We conclude the singlet-ground state of NaO$_{2}$ due to the spin-Peierls instability., Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures

We comprehensively studied the magnetotransport properties of LaAgSb$_2$ under high pressure up to 4 GPa, which showed unique successive charge density wave (CDW) transitions at $T_{CDW1}\sim 210$ K and $T_{CDW2}\sim 190$ K at ambient pressure. With the application of pressure, both $T_{CDW1}$ and $T_{CDW2}$ were suppressed and disappeared at the critical pressures of $P_{CDW1}=3.0$--3.4 GPa and $P_{CDW2}=1.5$--1.9 GPa, respectively. At $P_{CDW1}$, the Hall conductivity showed a step-like increase, which is consistently understood by the emergence of two-dimensional hollow Fermi surface at $P_{CDW1}$. We also observed a significant negative magnetoresistance effect when the magnetic field and current were applied parallel to the $c$ axis. Shubnikov--de Haas (SdH) oscillation measurements under pressure directly showed the changes in the Fermi surface across the CDW phase boundaries. In $PP_{CDW1}$, we observed a single frequency of $\sim 48$ T with a cyclotron effective mass of 0.066 $m_0$, whose cross section in the reciprocal space corresponded to only 0.22\% of the first Brillouin zone. Besides, we observed another oscillation component with frequency of $\sim 9.2$ T, which is significantly enhanced in the limited pressure range of $P_{CDW2}

The 5d pyrochlore oxide Cd2Re2O7 exhibits successive phase transitions from a cubic pyrochlore structure (phase I) to a tetragonal structure without inversion symmetry below Ts1 of ~200 K (phase II) and further to another noncentrosymmetric tetragonal structure below Ts2 of ~120 K (phase III). The two low-temperature phases may be characterized by odd-parity multipolar orders induced by the Fermi liquid instability of the spin-orbit-coupled metal. To control the tetragonal domains generated by the transitions and to obtain a single-domain crystal for the measurements of anisotropic properties, we prepared single crystals with the (0 0 1) surface and applied biaxial and uniaxial stresses along the plane. Polarizing optical microscopy observations revealed that inducing a small strain of approximately 0.05% could flip the twin domains ferroelastically in a reversible fashion at low temperatures, which evidences that the tetragonal deformation switches at Ts2 between c > a for phase II and c < a for phase III. Resistivity measurements using single-domain crystals under uniaxial stress showed that the anisotropy was maximum at around Ts2 and turned over across Ts2: resistivity along the c axis is larger (smaller) than that along the a axis by ~25% for phase II (III) at around Ts2. These large anisotropies probably originate from spin-dependent scattering in the spin-split Fermi surfaces of the cluster electric toroidal quadrupolar phases of Cd2Re2O7., Comment: 16 pages, 13 figures, J. Phys. Soc. Jpn in press

Recent interest in topological nature in condensed matter physics has revealed the essential role of Berry curvature in anomalous Hall effect (AHE). However, since large Hall response originating from Berry curvature has been reported in quite limited materials, the detailed mechanism remains unclear at present. Here, we report the discovery of a large AHE triggered by a pressure-induced magnetic phase transition in elemental $\alpha$-Mn. The AHE is absent in the non-collinear antiferromagnetic phase at ambient pressure, whereas a large AHE is observed in the weak ferromagnetic phase under high pressure despite the small averaged moment of $\sim 0.02 \mu_B$/Mn. Our results indicate that the emergence of the AHE in $\alpha$-Mn is governed by the symmetry of the underlying magnetic structure, providing a direct evidence of a switch between a zero and non-zero contribution of the Berry curvature across the phase boundary. $\alpha$-Mn can be an elemental and tunable platform to reveal the role of Berry curvature in AHE.

This study investigates the transport properties of a chiral elemental semiconductor tellurium (Te) under magnetic fields and pressure. Application of hydrostatic pressure reduces the resistivity of Te, while its temperature dependence remains semiconducting up to 4 GPa, contrary to recent theoretical and experimental studies. Application of higher pressure causes structural as well as semiconductor--metal transitions. The resulting metallic phase above 4 GPa exhibits superconductivity at 2 K along with a noticeable linear magnetoresistance effect. On the other hand, at ambient pressure, we identified metallic surface states on the as-cleaved (10$\bar{1}$0) surfaces of Te. The nature of these metallic surface states has been systematically studied by analyzing quantum oscillations observed in high magnetic fields. We clarify that a well-defined metallic surface state exists not only on chemically etched samples that were previously reported, but also on as-cleaved ones., Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures

Electrical resistivity and ac-susceptibility measurements under high pressure were carried out in high-quality single crystals of $\alpha$-Mn. The pressure-temperature phase diagram consists of an antiferromagnetic ordered phase (0<$P$<1.4 GPa, $T

We have measured the temperature dependence of resistivity in single-crystalline CeNiGe$_{3}$ under hydrostatic pressure in order to establish the characteristic pressure-temperature phase diagram. The transition temperature to AFM-I phase $T_{\rm N1}$ = 5.5 K at ambient pressure initially increases with increasing pressure and has a maximum at $\sim$ 3.0 GPa. Above 2.3 GPa, a clear zero-resistivity is observed (SC-I phase) and this superconducting (SC) state coexists with AFM-I phase. The SC-I phase suddenly disappears at 3.7 GPa simultaneously with the appearance of an additional kink anomaly corresponding to the phase transition to AFM-II phase. The AFM-II phase is continuously suppressed with further increasing pressure and disappears at $\sim$ 6.5 GPa. In the narrow range near the critical pressure, an SC phase reappears (SC-II phase). A large initial slope of upper critical field $\mu_0H_{\rm c2}$ and non-Fermi liquid behavior indicate that the SC-II phase is mediated by antiferromagnetic fluctuations. On the other hand, the robust coexistence of the SC-I phase and AFM-I phase is unusual on the contrary to superconductivity near a quantum critical point on most of heavy-fermion compounds., Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures

We performed $^{185/187}$Re nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) measurements under pressure to investigate the superconducting properties of noncentrosymmetric superconductor Cd$_{2}$Re$_{2}$O$_{7}$ under various crystal structures. The pressure dependence of superconducting transition temperature $T_{\rm c}$ determined through ac susceptibility measurements is consistent with the results of previous resistivity measurements [T. C. Kobayashi $et al$., J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 80, 023715 (2011).]. Below 2.2 GPa, in the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate $1/T_{1}$, a clear coherence peak was observed just below $T_{\rm c}$, indicating conventional $s$-wave superconductivity. In contrast, the coherence peak disappears at 3.1 GPa, suggesting a change in superconducting symmetry to the $p$-wave dominant state against pressure., Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures

The superconducting pyrochlore oxide Cd2Re2O7 is revisited with a particular emphasis on the sample-quality issue. The compound has drawn attention as the only superconductor (Tc = 1.0 K) that has been found in the family of {\alpha}-pyrochlore oxides since its discovery in 2001. Moreover, it exhibits two characteristic structural transitions from the cubic pyrochlore structure, with the inversion symmetry broken at the first one at 200 K. Recently, it has attracted increasing attention as a candidate spin-orbit coupled metal (SOCM), in which specific Fermi liquid instability is expected to lead to an odd-parity order with spontaneous inversion-symmetry breaking [L. Fu, Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 026401 (2015)] and parity-mixing superconductivity [V. Kozii and L. Fu: Phys. Rev. Lett. 115 (2015) 207002; Y. Wang et al., Phys. Rev. B 93 (2016) 134512]. We review our previous experimental results in comparison with those of other groups in the light of the theoretical prediction of the SOCM, which we consider meaningful and helpful for future progress in understanding this unique compound., Comment: 15 pages, 11 figures, J. Phys. Soc. Jpn, in press

The effects of pressure on antiferromagnetic (AFM) and superconducting phase transitions of 112-type Ca$_{1-x}$La$_{x}$FeAs$_{2}$ were studied, and the in-plane electrical resistivity $\rho_{ab}$ was measured with an indenter-type pressure cell. The AFM phase transition temperatures of $T_{\rm N}$ = 47, 63, and 63 K at ambient pressure for $x$ = 0.18, 0.21, and 0.26 was suppressed by applying pressure $P$, with superconductivity emerging at critical pressures of $P_{\rm c}$ $\simeq$ 0, 1.5, and 3.4 GPa, respectively. Correspondingly, the slope of $T_{\rm N}$ against $P$ decreased as $dT_{\rm N}/P$ $\simeq$ $-$15 and $-$2 K/GPa for $x$ = 0.21 and 0.26, respectively. Thus, although the AFM phase was stabilized with La doping $x$, the AFM phase was suppressed by pressure, and superconductivity eventually emerged., Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, Note added after publication: We noticed a paper by Yazhou Zhou et al. [Science Bulletin, 62, 857(2017)] reporting the pressure-induced superconductivity in the 112 system

Comprehensive magnetic-field-temperature ($H$-$T$) phase diagram of solid oxygen including the $\theta$ phase is discussed in the context of the ultrahigh-field measurement and the magnetocaloric effect (MCE) measurement. The problems originating from the short duration of the pulse field, non-equilibrium condition and MCEs, are pointed out and dealt with. The obtained phase diagram manifests the entropy relation between the phases as $S_\theta \sim S_\alpha

The magnetic-field-temperature phase diagram of solid oxygen is investigated by the adiabatic magnetocaloric effect (MCE) measurement with pulsed magnetic fields. Relatively large temperature decrease with hysteresis is observed at just below the $\beta$-$\gamma$ and $\alpha$-$\beta$ phase transition temperatures owing to the field-induced transitions. The magnetic field dependences of these phase boundaries are obtained as $T_\mathrm{\beta\gamma}(H)=43.8-1.55\times10^{-3}H^2$ K and $T_\mathrm{\alpha\beta}(H)=23.9-0.73\times10^{-3}H^2$ K. The magnetic Clausius-Clapeyron equation quantitatively explains the $H$ dependence of $T_\mathrm{\beta\gamma}$, meanwhile, does not $T_\mathrm{\alpha\beta}$. The MCE curve at $T_\mathrm{\beta\gamma}$ is of typical first-order, while the curve at $T_\mathrm{\alpha\beta}$ seems to have both characteristics of first- and second-order transitions. We discuss the order of the $\alpha$-$\beta$ phase transition and propose possible reasons for the unusual behavior., Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures

The 5d-transition metal pyrochlore oxide Cd2Re2O7, which was recently suggested to be a prototype of the spin-orbit-coupled metal [Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 026401 (2015)], exhibits an inversion-symmetry breaking (ISB) transition at 200 K and a subsequent superconductivity below 1 K at ambient pressure. We study the crystal structure at high pressures up to 5 GPa by means of synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction. A rich structural phase diagram is obtained, which contains at least seven phases and is almost consistent with the electronic phase diagram determined by previous resistivity measurements. Interestingly, the ISB transition vanishes at ~4 GPa, where the enhancement of the upper critical field was observed in resistivity. Moreover, it is shown that the point groups at 8 K, probably kept in the superconducting phases, sequentially transform into piezoelectric, ferroelectric, and centrosymmetric structures on the application of pressure., Comment: 15 pages, 3 figures

Dissipation inevitably occurs in first order phase transitions, leading to the irreversible heating. Conversely, the irreversible heating effect could be a clue for the first order phase transition. We measured the temperature change at the magnetic-field-induced alpha-theta phase transition of solid oxygen. The significant temperature increase from 13 to 37 K, amounting to 700 J/mol, is observed due to the irreversible heating at the first order phase transition. We argue that the hysteresis loss of the magnetization curve and the dissipative structural transformation account for the irreversible heating. The measurement of the irreversible heating can be utilized for detecting the first-order phase transition in good combination with the ultrahigh magnetic fields generated in microseconds., Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures

The mineral tetrahedrite Cu$_{12}$Sb$_{4}$S$_{13}$ exhibits a first-order metal--insulator transition (MIT) at $T_{\rm MI}$ = 85 K and ambient pressure. We measured the $^{63}$Cu-NMR at ambient pressure and the resistivity and magnetic susceptibility at high pressures. $^{63}$Cu-NMR results indicate a nonmagnetic insulating ground state in this compound. The MIT is monotonically suppressed by pressure and disappears at $\sim1.0$ GPa. Two other anomalies are observed in the resistivity measurements, and the pressure -- temperature phase diagram of Cu$_{12}$Sb$_{4}$S$_{13}$ is constructed., Comment: 5 pages, 7 figures

We measured the pressure dependence of in-plane resistivity $\rho_{ab}$ in the recently-discovered iron-based superconductor Ca$_{10}$(Ir$_{4}$As$_{8}$)(Fe$_{2-x}$Ir$_{x}$As$_{2}$)$_{5}$, which shows a unique structural phase transition in the absence of magnetic ordering, with a superconducting transition temperature $T_{\rm c}$ = 16 K and structural phase transition temperature $T_{\rm s}$ $\simeq$ 100 K at ambient pressure. $T_{\rm c}$ and $T_{\rm s}$ are suppressed on applying pressure and disappear at approximately 0.5 GPa, suggesting a relationship between superconductivity and structure. Ca$_{10}$(Ir$_{4}$As$_{8}$)(Fe$_{2-x}$Ir$_{x}$As$_{2}$)$_{5}$ is a rather rare example in which the superconductivity appears only in a low-temperature ordered phase. The fact that the change in the crystal structure is directly linked with superconductivity suggests that the crystal structure as well as magnetism are important factors governing superconductivity in iron pnictides., Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. B

The effects of Ni substitution on Ce(Cu1-xNix)2Si2 have been studied by specific heat and electrical resistivity measurements. The specific heat measurement has revealed that the enhanced quantum fluctuations around an antiferromagnetic quantum critical point are markedly suppressed by Ni substitution, and that the Fermi liquid state recovers in the Nirich region (x > 0.12). The characteristic T-linear dependence of the resistivity has been observed at approximately x ~ 0.10 together with a sign of superconductivity. The variation of n in the form of rho - rho0 = aT^n against Tmax^1, at which the resistivity peaks, coincides with the case of high-pressure experiments on pure CeCu2Si2. The anomalous T-linear behavior appears to occur in the crossover region from the Kondo regime to the valence fluctuation regime rather than in the conventional antiferromagnetic quantum critical region., Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, to be published (J. Phys. Soc. Jpn)

An overview of the crystal structures and physical properties of the recently discovered iron-platinum-arsenide superconductors, Ca10(PtnAs8)(Fe2-xPtxAs2)5 (n = 3 and 4), which have a superconducting transition temperature up to 38 K, is provided. The crystal structure consists of superconducting Fe2As2 layers alternating with platinum-arsenic layers, PtnAs8. The upper critical field Hc2, hydrostatic pressure dependence of superconducting transition temperature Tc, and normal-state magnetic susceptibility are reported., Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures

Ca(Fe$_{1-x}$Rh$_x$)$_2$As$_2$ undergoes successive phase transitions with increasing Rh doping in the $T$ $=$ 0 limit. The antiferromagnetic-metal phase with orthorhombic structure at 0.00 $\le$ $x$ $\le$ 0.020 is driven to a superconducting phase with uncollapsed-tetragonal (ucT) structure at 0.020 $\le$ $x$ $\le$ 0.024; a non-superconducting collapsed-tetragonal (cT) phase takes over at $x$ $\geq$ 0.024. The breakdown of Fermi-liquid transport is observed in the ucT phase above $T_{\rm c}$. In the adjacent cT phase, Fermi-liquid transport is restored along with a disappearance of superconductivity. This interplay of superconductivity and Fermi-liquid transport suggests the essential role of magnetic fluctuations in the emergence of superconductivity in doped CaFe$_2$As$_2$., Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures