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Abstract: Charge order is universal to all hole-doped cuprates. Yet, the driving interactions remain an unsolved problem. Electron-electron interaction is widely believed to be essential, whereas the role of electron-phonon interaction is unclear. We report an ultrahigh-resolution resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) study of the in-plane bond-stretching phonon mode in stripe-ordered cuprate La1.675Eu0.2Sr0.125CuO4. Phonon softening and lifetime shortening are found around the charge ordering wave vector. In addition to these self-energy effects, the electron-phonon coupling is probed by its proportionality to the RIXS cross section. We find an enhancement of the electron-phonon coupling around the charge-stripe ordering wave vector upon cooling into the low-temperature tetragonal structure phase. These results suggest that, in addition to electronic correlations, electron-phonon coupling contributes substantially to the emergence of long-range charge-stripe order in cuprates.

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Abstract: We utilized high-energy-resolution resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) at both the Ta and Ni L 3 edges to map out element-specific particle-hole excitations in Ta 2 Ni Se 5 across the phase transition. Our results reveal a momentum-dependent gaplike feature in the low-energy spectrum, which agrees well with the band gap in element-specific joint density of states calculations based on ab initio estimates of the electronic structure in both the low-temperature monoclinic and high-temperature orthorhombic structures. Below T c , the RIXS energy-momentum map shows a minimal gap at the Brillouin zone center ( ∼ 0.16 eV ) , confirming that Ta 2 Ni Se 5 possesses a direct band gap in its low-temperature ground state. However, inside the gap, no signature of anticipated collective modes with an energy scale comparable to the gap size can be identified. Upon increasing the temperature to above T c , whereas the gap at the zone center closes, the RIXS map at finite momenta still possesses the gross features of the low-temperature map, suggesting a substantial mixing between the Ta and Ni orbits in the conduction and valence bands, which does not change substantially across the phase transition. Our experimental observations and comparison to the theoretical calculations lend further support to the phase transition and the corresponding gap opening in Ta 2 Ni Se 5 being largely structural by nature, with a possible minor contribution from the putative exciton condensate.

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Abstract: Layered Li-rich transition metal oxides undergo O-redox, involving the oxidation of the O2− ions charge compensated by extraction of Li+ ions. Recent results have shown that for 3d transition metal oxides the oxidized O2− forms molecular O2 trapped in the bulk particles. Other forms of oxidised O2− such as O22− or (O–O)n− with long bonds have been proposed, based especially on work on 4 and 5d transition metal oxides, where TM–O bonding is more covalent. Here, we show, using high resolution RIXS that molecular O2 is formed in the bulk particles on O2‒ oxidation in the archetypal Li-rich ruthenates and iridate compounds, Li2RuO3, Li2Ru0.5Sn0.5O3 and Li2Ir0.5Sn0.5O3. The results indicate that O-redox occurs across 3, 4, and 5d transition metal oxides, forming O2, i.e. the greater covalency of the 4d and 5d compounds still favours O2. RIXS and XAS data for Li2IrO3 are consistent with a charge compensation mechanism associated primarily with Ir redox up to and beyond the 5+ oxidation state, with no evidence of O–O dimerization.

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Abstract: The discovery of superconductivity in a d 9 − δ nickelate has inspired disparate theoretical perspectives regarding the essential physics of this class of materials. A key issue is the magnitude of the magnetic superexchange, which relates to whether cuprate-like high-temperature nickelate superconductivity could be realized. We address this question using Ni L -edge and O K -edge spectroscopy of the reduced d 9 − 1 / 3 trilayer nickelates R 4 Ni 3 O 8 (where R = La , Pr) and associated theoretical modeling. A magnon energy scale of ∼ 80     meV resulting from a nearest-neighbor magnetic exchange of J = 69 ( 4 )     meV is observed, proving that d 9 − δ nickelates can host a large superexchange. This value, along with that of the Ni-O hybridization estimated from our O K -edge data, implies that trilayer nickelates represent an intermediate case between the infinite-layer nickelates and the cuprates. Layered nickelates thus provide a route to testing the relevance of superexchange to nickelate superconductivity.

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Abstract: In the search for high energy density cathodes for next-generation lithium-ion batteries, the disordered rocksalt oxyfluorides are receiving significant attention due to their high capacity and lower voltage hysteresis compared with ordered Li-rich layered compounds. However, a deep understanding of these phenomena and their redox chemistry remains incomplete. Using the archetypal oxyfluoride, Li2MnO2F, we show that the oxygen redox process in such materials involves the formation of molecular O2 trapped in the bulk structure of the charged cathode, which is reduced on discharge. The molecular O2 is trapped rigidly within vacancy clusters and exhibits minimal mobility unlike free gaseous O2, making it more characteristic of a solid-like environment. The Mn redox process occurs between octahedral Mn3+ and Mn4+ with no evidence of tetrahedral Mn5+ or Mn7+. We furthermore derive the relationship between local coordination environment and redox potential; this gives rise to the observed overlap in Mn and O redox couples and reveals that the onset potential of oxide ion oxidation is determined by the degree of ionicity around oxygen, which extends models based on linear Li–O–Li configurations. This study advances our fundamental understanding of redox mechanisms in disordered rocksalt oxyfluorides, highlighting their promise as high capacity cathodes.