Carrier localization and electronic phase separation in a doped spin-orbit-driven Mott phase in Sr3 (Ir1-x Ru x)2O7

Chetan Dhital; Tom Hogan; Wenwen Zhou; Xiang Chen; Zhensong Ren; Mani Pokharel; Yoshinori Okada; M. Heine; Wei Tian; Z. Yamani; C. Opeil; J. S. Helton; J. W. Lynn; Ziqiang Wang; Vidya Madhavan; Stephen D. Wilson

doi:10.1038/ncomms4377

Carrier localization and electronic phase separation in a doped spin-orbit-driven Mott phase in Sr₃ (Ir_1-x Ru _x)₂O₇

Chetan Dhital, Tom Hogan, Wenwen Zhou, Xiang Chen, Zhensong Ren, Mani Pokharel, Yoshinori Okada, M. Heine, Wei Tian, Z. Yamani, C. Opeil, J. S. Helton, J. W. Lynn, Ziqiang Wang, Vidya Madhavan, Stephen D. Wilson

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Interest in many strongly spin-orbit-coupled 5d-transition metal oxide insulators stems from mapping their electronic structures to a J _eff=1/2 Mott phase. One of the hopes is to establish their Mott parent states and explore these systems' potential of realizing novel electronic states upon carrier doping. However, once doped, little is understood regarding the role of their reduced Coulomb interaction U relative to their strongly correlated 3d-electron cousins. Here we show that, upon hole-doping a candidate J_eff=1/2 Mott insulator, carriers remain localized within a nanoscale phase-separated ground state. A percolative metal-insulator transition occurs with interplay between localized and itinerant regions, stabilizing an antiferromagnetic metallic phase beyond the critical region. Our results demonstrate a surprising parallel between doped 5d- and 3d-electron Mott systems and suggest either through the near-degeneracy of nearby electronic phases or direct carrier localization that U is essential to the carrier response of this doped spin-orbit Mott insulator.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	3377
Journal	Nature communications
Volume	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms4377
State	Published - Feb 25 2014
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Chemistry
General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
General Physics and Astronomy

Online availability

10.1038/ncomms4377

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Cite this

Dhital, C., Hogan, T., Zhou, W., Chen, X., Ren, Z., Pokharel, M., Okada, Y., Heine, M., Tian, W., Yamani, Z., Opeil, C., Helton, J. S., Lynn, J. W., Wang, Z., Madhavan, V., & Wilson, S. D. (2014). Carrier localization and electronic phase separation in a doped spin-orbit-driven Mott phase in Sr₃ (Ir_1-x Ru _x)₂O₇. Nature communications, 5, Article 3377. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms4377

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title = "Carrier localization and electronic phase separation in a doped spin-orbit-driven Mott phase in Sr3 (Ir1-x Ru x)2O7",

abstract = "Interest in many strongly spin-orbit-coupled 5d-transition metal oxide insulators stems from mapping their electronic structures to a J eff=1/2 Mott phase. One of the hopes is to establish their Mott parent states and explore these systems' potential of realizing novel electronic states upon carrier doping. However, once doped, little is understood regarding the role of their reduced Coulomb interaction U relative to their strongly correlated 3d-electron cousins. Here we show that, upon hole-doping a candidate Jeff=1/2 Mott insulator, carriers remain localized within a nanoscale phase-separated ground state. A percolative metal-insulator transition occurs with interplay between localized and itinerant regions, stabilizing an antiferromagnetic metallic phase beyond the critical region. Our results demonstrate a surprising parallel between doped 5d- and 3d-electron Mott systems and suggest either through the near-degeneracy of nearby electronic phases or direct carrier localization that U is essential to the carrier response of this doped spin-orbit Mott insulator.",

author = "Chetan Dhital and Tom Hogan and Wenwen Zhou and Xiang Chen and Zhensong Ren and Mani Pokharel and Yoshinori Okada and M. Heine and Wei Tian and Z. Yamani and C. Opeil and Helton, {J. S.} and Lynn, {J. W.} and Ziqiang Wang and Vidya Madhavan and Wilson, {Stephen D.}",

note = "Funding Information: The work at Boston College was supported by NSF CAREER-Award DMR-1056625 (S.D.W), DOE DE-SC0002554 (Z.W.) and NSF DMR-1305647 (V.M.). The work at the ORNLs High Flux Isotope Reactor was sponsored by the Scientific User Facilities Division, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, US DOE. The identification of any commercial product or trade name does not imply endorsement or recommendation by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.",

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AU - Dhital, Chetan

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AU - Chen, Xiang

AU - Ren, Zhensong

AU - Pokharel, Mani

AU - Okada, Yoshinori

AU - Heine, M.

AU - Tian, Wei

AU - Yamani, Z.

AU - Opeil, C.

AU - Helton, J. S.

AU - Lynn, J. W.

AU - Wang, Ziqiang

AU - Madhavan, Vidya

AU - Wilson, Stephen D.

N1 - Funding Information: The work at Boston College was supported by NSF CAREER-Award DMR-1056625 (S.D.W), DOE DE-SC0002554 (Z.W.) and NSF DMR-1305647 (V.M.). The work at the ORNLs High Flux Isotope Reactor was sponsored by the Scientific User Facilities Division, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, US DOE. The identification of any commercial product or trade name does not imply endorsement or recommendation by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

PY - 2014/2/25

Y1 - 2014/2/25

N2 - Interest in many strongly spin-orbit-coupled 5d-transition metal oxide insulators stems from mapping their electronic structures to a J eff=1/2 Mott phase. One of the hopes is to establish their Mott parent states and explore these systems' potential of realizing novel electronic states upon carrier doping. However, once doped, little is understood regarding the role of their reduced Coulomb interaction U relative to their strongly correlated 3d-electron cousins. Here we show that, upon hole-doping a candidate Jeff=1/2 Mott insulator, carriers remain localized within a nanoscale phase-separated ground state. A percolative metal-insulator transition occurs with interplay between localized and itinerant regions, stabilizing an antiferromagnetic metallic phase beyond the critical region. Our results demonstrate a surprising parallel between doped 5d- and 3d-electron Mott systems and suggest either through the near-degeneracy of nearby electronic phases or direct carrier localization that U is essential to the carrier response of this doped spin-orbit Mott insulator.

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