Evidence of a coupled electron-phonon liquid in NbGe2

Hung-Yu Yang (), Xiaohan Yao, Vincent Plisson, Shirin Mozaffari, Jan P. Scheifers, Aikaterini Flessa Savvidou, Eun Sang Choi, Gregory T. McCandless, Mathieu F. Padlewski, Carsten Putzke, Philip J. W. Moll, Julia Y. Chan, Luis Balicas, Kenneth S. Burch and Fazel Tafti ()
Additional contact information
Hung-Yu Yang: Boston College
Xiaohan Yao: Boston College
Vincent Plisson: Boston College
Shirin Mozaffari: Florida State University
Jan P. Scheifers: University of Texas at Dallas
Aikaterini Flessa Savvidou: Florida State University
Eun Sang Choi: Florida State University
Gregory T. McCandless: University of Texas at Dallas
Mathieu F. Padlewski: Laboratory of Quantum Materials (QMAT), Institute of Materials (IMX), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015
Carsten Putzke: Laboratory of Quantum Materials (QMAT), Institute of Materials (IMX), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015
Philip J. W. Moll: Laboratory of Quantum Materials (QMAT), Institute of Materials (IMX), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015
Julia Y. Chan: University of Texas at Dallas
Luis Balicas: Florida State University
Kenneth S. Burch: Boston College
Fazel Tafti: Boston College

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Whereas electron-phonon scattering relaxes the electron’s momentum in metals, a perpetual exchange of momentum between phonons and electrons may conserve total momentum and lead to a coupled electron-phonon liquid. Such a phase of matter could be a platform for observing electron hydrodynamics. Here we present evidence of an electron-phonon liquid in the transition metal ditetrelide, NbGe2, from three different experiments. First, quantum oscillations reveal an enhanced quasiparticle mass, which is unexpected in NbGe2 with weak electron-electron correlations, hence pointing at electron-phonon interactions. Second, resistivity measurements exhibit a discrepancy between the experimental data and standard Fermi liquid calculations. Third, Raman scattering shows anomalous temperature dependences of the phonon linewidths that fit an empirical model based on phonon-electron coupling. We discuss structural factors, such as chiral symmetry, short metallic bonds, and a low-symmetry coordination environment as potential design principles for materials with coupled electron-phonon liquid.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25547-x

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