Doping induced site-selective Mott insulating phase in LaFeO3

• Tailoring transport properties of strongly correlated electron systems in a controlled fashion counts among the dreams of materials scientists. In copper oxides, vary- ing the carrier concentration is a tool to obtain high- temperature superconducting phases. In manganites, dop- ing results in exotic physics such as insulator-metal tran- sitions (IMT), colossal magnetoresistance (CMR), orbital- or charge-ordered (CO) or charge-disproportionate (CD) states. In most oxides, antiferromagnetic order and CD phase is asssociated with insulating behavior. Here we re- port the realization of a unique physical state that can be induced by Mo doping in LaFeO3: the resulting metallic state is a site-selective Mott insulator where itinerant elec- trons evolving on low-energy Mo states coexist with local- ized carriers on the Fe sites. In addition, a local breathing- type lattice distortion induces charge disproportionation on the latter, without destroying the antiferromagnetic order. A state, combining antiferromangetism, metallic- ity and CD phenomena is rather rare in oxides and have utmost significance for future antiferromagnetic memory devices.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Den kondenserade materiens fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Condensed Matter Physics (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Physics with spec. in Atomic, Molecular and Condensed Matter Physics

Fysik med inriktning mot atom- molekyl- och kondenserande materiens fysik

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vet (ämneskategori)

ovr (ämneskategori)