APS March Meeting 2014
Volume 59, Number 1
Monday–Friday, March 3–7, 2014;
Denver, Colorado
Session B49: Focus Session: Electron Correlations and Spin Orbit: Iridates
11:15 AM–2:15 PM,
Monday, March 3, 2014
Room: Mile High Ballroom 1C
Sponsoring
Unit:
DMP
Chair: James Rondinelli, Drexel
Abstract ID: BAPS.2014.MAR.B49.1
Abstract: B49.00001 : Exploring the correlated phase behavior and electronic properties of parent and doped spin-orbit Mott phases*
11:15 AM–11:51 AM
Preview Abstract
Abstract
Author:
Stephen Wilson
(Boston College)
An unusual manifestation of Mott physics dependent on strong spin-orbit
interactions has recently been identified in a growing number of classes of
5d transition metal oxides built from Ir$^{4+}$ ions. Instead of the naively
expected increased itinerancy of these iridates due to the larger orbital
extent of their 5d valence electrons, the interplay between the amplified
relativistic spin-orbit interaction (intrinsic to large Z iridium cations)
and their residual on-site Coulomb interaction $U$, conspires to stabilize a
novel class of spin-orbit assisted Mott insulators with a proposed
J$_{eff}=$1/2 ground state wavefunction. The identification of this novel
spin-orbit Mott state has been the focus of recent interest due to its
potential of hosting a variety of new phases driven by correlated electron
phenomena (such as high temperature superconductivity or enhanced ferroic
behavior) in a strongly spin-orbit coupled setting. Currently, however,
there remains very little understanding of how spin-orbit Mott phases
respond to carrier doping and, more specifically, how relevant $U$ remains for
the charge carriers of a spin-orbit Mott phase once the bandwidth is
increased. Here I will present our group's recent experimental work
exploring carrier doping and the resulting electronic phase behavior in one
such spin-orbit driven Mott material, Sr$_{3}$Ir$_{2}$O$_{7}$, with the
ultimate goal of determining the relevance of $U$ and electron correlation
effects within the doped system's ground state. Our results reveal the
stabilization of an electronically phase separated ground state in B-site
doped Sr$_{3}$Ir$_{2}$O$_{7}$, suggestive of an extended regime of
localization of in-plane doped carriers within the spin-orbit Mott phase.
This results in a percolative metal-to-insulator transition with a novel,
global, antiferromagnetic order. The electronic response of B-site doping in
Sr$_{3}$Ir$_{2}$O$_{7\, }$will then be compared with recent results
exploring A-site doping if time permits.
*Supported by NSF CAREER Award DMR-1056625
To cite this abstract, use the following reference: http://meetings.aps.org/link/BAPS.2014.MAR.B49.1