Dichotomy in Low- and High-energy Band Renormalizations in Trilayer Nickelate La4Ni3O10: a Comparison with Cuprates

Result of the Month

Author: X. Du, Y. L. Wang, Y. D. Li, Y. T. Cao, M. X. Zhang, C. Y. Pei, J. M. Yang, W. X. Zhao, K. Y. Zhai, Z. K. Liu, Z. W. Li, J. K. Zhao, Z. T. Liu10, D. W. Shen, Z. Li, Y. He, Y. L. Chen, Y. P. Qi, H. J. Guo, and L. X. Yang Institute: ''1State Key Laboratory of Low Dimensional Quantum Physics, Department of Physics, Tsinghua University, China'' Physical Review Letters
URL: https://doi.org/10.1103/smkf-k7wq
Date: 9/2026 Instruments: DA30-L

Band renormalizations comprise crucial insights for understanding the intricate roles of electron-boson coupling and electron correlation in emergent phenomena such as superconductivity. In this study, by combining high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and theoretical calculations, we systematically investigate the electronic structure of the trilayer nickelate superconductor La4Ni3O10 at ambient pressure. We reveal a dichotomy in the electronic band renormalizations of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ in comparison to cuprate superconductors. At a high energy scale of hundreds of meV, its band structure is strongly renormalized by electron correlation effect enhanced by Hund coupling. The resultant waterfall-like dispersions resemble the high-energy kinks in cuprate superconductors. However, at low energy scales of tens of meV, the dispersive bands are nearly featureless and devoid of any resolvable electron-boson interactions, in drastic contrast to the low-energy kinks observed in cuprates and other correlated 3d transition-metal compounds. The dichotomic band renormalizations highlight the disparity between nickelate and cuprate superconductors and emphasize the importance of strong electron-correlation in the superconductivity of Ruddlesden-Popper phase nickelates.

Fig. 1. Electronic structure of La₄Ni₃O₁₀. (a) Experimental Fermi surface (FS) of La₄Ni₃O₁₀, collected with photon energy of 74 eV. (b) Sketch of the FS as a guide of eyes for the experimental result in (a). (c) FS measured with 7-eV laser. (d) Density-functional theory calculated FS. (e-g) Band dispersions along the high-symmetry directions of Γ ̅𝑋̅ (e), Γ ̅𝑆̅ (f), and 𝑋̅𝑆̅ (g) measured at the photon energy of 98 eV (e, g) and 74 eV (f). (h) Calculated band structure projected onto different Ni 3d orbitals. Data in (c) were collected with linear-vertically (LV) polarized photons at 80 K. All other data were collected with linear-horizontally (LH) polarized photons at 20 K.

Synchrotron ARPES measurements were performed at Bloch line at MAX IV, Sweden (DA30-L analyser) and BL03U at Shanghai synchrotron (DA30). Laboratory-based laser ARPES measurements (7eV laser) were performed at Tsinghua University (DA30-L)

Fig. 2. High-energy band renormalization. (a, b) Spectrum of a cuprate superconductor, Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_8+δ (Bi-2212) (a) and La₄Ni₃O₁₀ (b), with band dispersion extracted by fitting momentum-distribution curves (MDCs) overlaid. The dashed white line in (b) indicates an assumed linear dispersion. (c) The deviation of the β band from the linear dispersion in (b), which resembles the real part of electron self-energy. (d) Imaginary part of the electron self-energy extracted from the MDC-fitting in (b). Data in (a) were measured with LH-polarized 55 eV photons at 28 K. Data in (b-d) were measured with LH polarized 98 eV photons at 20 K. (e, f) Dynamical-mean-field-theory (DMFT) calculated spectral function of La₄Ni₃O₁₀ for Hund’s coupling J_H = 0.5 eV (e) and J_H = 1.0 eV (f). (g) Zoom-in plot in the dashed grey rectangle in (f) showing a waterfall-like structure. (h) Calculated orbital- and site- dependent self-energy with JH = 1.0 eV and Hubbard U = 4 eV.

Dichotomy in Low- and High-energy Band Renormalizations in Trilayer Nickelate La4Ni3O10: a Comparison with Cuprates

Result of the Month

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