Novel Jeff=1/2 Mott state induced by relativistic spin-orbit coupling in Sr2IrO4

Perfect flat band with chirality and charge ordering out of strong spin-orbit interaction

Spin-orbit interaction has established itself as a key player in the emergent phenomena in modern condensed matter, including topological insulator, spin liquid and spin-dependent transports. However, its function is rather limited to adding topological nature to band kinetics, leaving behind the growing interest in the direct interplay with electron correlation. Here, we prove by our spinor line graph theory that a very strong spin-orbit interaction realized in 5d pyrochlore electronic systems generates multiply degenerate perfect flat bands. Unlike any of the previous flat bands, the electrons in this band localize in real space by destructively interfering with each other in a spin selective manner governed by the SU(2) gauge field. These electrons avoid the Coulomb interaction by self-organizing their localized wave functions, which may lead to a flat-band state with a stiff spin chirality. It also causes perfectly trimerized charge ordering, which may explain the recently discovered exotic low-temperature insulating phase of CsW2O6.

Metastable Kitaev Magnets

Nearly two decades ago, Alexei Kitaev proposed a model for spin-1/2 particles with bond-directional interactions on a two-dimensional honeycomb lattice which had the potential to host a quantum spin-liquid ground state. This work initiated numerous investigations to design and synthesize materials that would physically realize the Kitaev Hamiltonian. The first generation of such materials, such as Na2IrO3, α-Li2IrO3, and α-RuCl3, revealed the presence of non-Kitaev interactions such as the Heisenberg and off-diagonal exchange. Both physical pressure and chemical doping were used to tune the relative strength of the Kitaev and competing interactions; however, little progress was made towards achieving a purely Kitaev system. Here, we review the recent breakthrough in modifying Kitaev magnets via topochemical methods that has led to the second generation of Kitaev materials. We show how structural modifications due to the topotactic exchange reactions can alter the magnetic interactions in favor of a quantum spin-liquid phase.

Interplay between Spin-Orbital Coupling and Electron-Correlation: Induction of Phase Transitions and Giant Magnetic Anisotropy in Strained LaSr_{1−x}Ca_xNiReO_6

In recent decades, 3d-5d based double perovskite oxides (DPO) have received considerable attention due to the existence of the Mott-insulating (MI) state, which is owing to the spin-orbit coupling (SOC)...

A high-TC heavy rare earth monoxide semiconductor TbO with a more than half-filled 4f orbital

A rock-salt structured terbium monoxide, TbO, was synthesized for the first time in the solid phase. This TbO is a high TC (231 K) ferromagnetic semiconductor, probably forming 4f and 5f magnetic sublattices at a single magnetic Tb2+ site.

Enhancement of Photoresponse on Narrow-Bandgap Mott Insulator α-RuCl3 via Intercalation

Charge doping to Mott insulators is critical to realize high-temperature superconductivity, quantum spin liquid state, and Majorana fermion, which would contribute to quantum computation. Mott insulators also have a great potential for optoelectronic applications; however, they showed insufficient photoresponse in previous reports. To enhance the photoresponse of Mott insulators, charge doping is a promising strategy since it leads to effective modification of electronic structure near the Fermi level. Intercalation, which is the ion insertion into the van der Waals gap of layered materials, is an effective charge-doping method without defect generation. Herein, we showed significant enhancement of optoelectronic properties of a layered Mott insulator, α-RuCl₃, through electron doping by organic cation intercalation. The electron-doping results in substantial electronic structure change, leading to the bandgap shrinkage from 1.2 eV to 0.7 eV. Due to localized excessive electrons in RuCl₃, distinct density of states is generated in the valence band, leading to the optical absorption change rather than metallic transition even in substantial doping concentration. The stable near-infrared photodetector using electronic modulated RuCl₃ showed 50 times higher photoresponsivity and 3 times faster response time compared to those of pristine RuCl₃, which contributes to overcoming the disadvantage of a Mott insulator as a promising optoelectronic device and expanding the material libraries.

Iridate Li8IrO6: An Antiferromagnetic Insulator

A polycrystalline iridate Li₈IrO₆ material was prepared via heating Li₂O and IrO₂ starting materials in a sealed quartz tube at 650 °C for 48 h. The structure was determined from Rietveld refinement of room-temperature powder neutron diffraction data. Li₈IrO₆ adopts the nonpolar space group R3̅ with Li atoms occupying the tetrahedral and octahedral sites, which is supported by the electron diffraction and solid-state ⁷Li NMR. This results in a crystal structure consisting of LiO₄ tetrahedral layers alternating with mixed IrO₆ and LiO₆ octahedral layers along the crystallographic c-axis. The +4 oxidation state of Ir⁴⁺ was confirmed by near-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy. An in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction study of Li₈IrO₆ indicates that the sample is stable up to 1000 °C and exhibits no structural transitions. Magnetic measurements suggest long-range antiferromagnetic ordering with a Néel temperature (T_N) of 4 K, which is corroborated by heat capacity measurements. The localized effective moment μ_eff (Ir) = 1.73 μ_B and insulating character indicate that Li₈IrO₆ is a correlated insulator. First-principles calculations support the nonpolar crystal structure and reveal the insulating behavior both in paramagnetic and antiferromagnetic states.

Imaging antiferromagnetic domain fluctuations and the effect of atomic scale disorder in a doped spin-orbit Mott insulator

Correlated oxides can exhibit complex magnetic patterns. Understanding how magnetic domains form in the presence of disorder and their robustness to temperature variations has been of particular interest, but atomic scale insight has been limited. We use spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy to image the evolution of spin-resolved modulations originating from antiferromagnetic (AF) ordering in a spin-orbit Mott insulator perovskite iridate Sr₃Ir₂O₇ as a function of chemical composition and temperature. We find that replacing only several percent of lanthanum for strontium leaves behind nanometer-scale AF puddles clustering away from lanthanum substitutions preferentially located in the middle strontium oxide layer. Thermal erasure and reentry into the low-temperature ground state leads to a spatial reorganization of the AF puddles, which nevertheless maintain scale-invariant fractal geometry in each configuration. Our experiments reveal multiple stable AF configurations at low temperature and shed light onto spatial fluctuations of the AF order around atomic scale disorder in electron-doped Sr₃Ir₂O₇.

Revelation of Mott insulating state in layered honeycomb lattice Li2RuO3

We investigate the role of electron correlation in the electronic structure of honeycomb lattice Li₂RuO₃using photoemission spectroscopy and band structure calculations. Monoclinic Li₂RuO₃having Ru network as honeycomb lattice undergoes magneto-structural transition atT_c∼ 540 K from high temperature phaseC2/mto low temperature dimerized phaseP2₁/m. Room temperature valence band photoemission spectra reveal an insulating ground state with no intensity at Fermi level (E_F). Ru 4dband extracted from high and low photon energy valence band photoemission spectra reveal that the surface and bulk electronic structures are very similar in this system. Band structure calculations using generalized gradient approximation leads to metallic ground state while screened hybrid (YS-PBE0) functional reveals opening up of a gap in almost degenerated_zx/d_yzorbitals, whereasd_xyorbital is already gapped. Ru 3dcore level spectra with prominent unscreened feature provides direct evidence of strong electron correlation among Ru 4delectrons which is also manifested by |E-E_F|²dependence of spectral density of states in the vicinity ofE_Fin the high-resolution spectra, establishing Li₂RuO₃as Mott insulator.

Spin-orbital entangled state and realization of Kitaev physics in 3dcobalt compounds: a progress report

The realization of Kitaev's honeycomb magnetic model in real materials has become one of the most pursued topics in condensed matter physics and materials science. If found, it is expected to host exotic quantum phases of matter and offers potential realizations of fault-tolerant quantum computations. Over the past years, much effort has been made on 4d- or 5d-heavy transition metal compounds because of their intrinsic strong spin-orbit coupling. But more recently, there have been growing shreds of evidence that the Kitaev model could also be realized in 3d-transition metal systems with much weaker spin-orbit coupling. This review intends to serve as a guide to this fast-developing field focusing on systems withd⁷transition metal occupation. It overviews the current theoretical and experimental progress on realizing the Kitaev model in those systems. We examine the recent experimental observations of candidate materials with Co²⁺ions: e.g., CoPS₃, Na₃Co₂SbO₆, and Na₂Co₂TeO₆, followed by a brief review of theoretical backgrounds. We conclude this article by comparing experimental observations with density functional theory calculations. We stress the importance of inter-t_2ghopping channels and Hund's coupling in the realization of Kitaev interactions in Co-based compounds, which has been overlooked in previous studies. This review suggests future directions in the search for Kitaev physics in 3dcobalt compounds and beyond.

Magnetically Induced Polarization in Centrosymmetric Bonds

We reveal the microscopic origin of electric polarization P[over →] induced by noncollinear magnetic order. We show that in Mott insulators, such P[over →] is given by all possible combinations of position operators r[over →][over ^]_{ij}=(r[over →]_{ij}^{0},r[over →]_{ij}) and transfer integrals t[over ^]_{ij}=(t_{ij}^{0},t_{ij}) in the bonds, where r[over →]_{ij}^{0} and t_{ij}^{0} are spin-independent contributions in the basis of Kramers doublet states, while r[over →]_{ij} and t_{ij} stem solely from the spin-orbit interaction. Among them, the combination t_{ij}^{0}r[over →]_{ij}, which couples to the spin current, remains finite in the centrosymmetric bonds, thus yielding finite P[over →] in the case of noncollinear arrangement of spins. The form of the magnetoelectric coupling, which is controlled by r[over →]_{ij}, appears to be rich and is not limited to the phenomenological law P[over →]∼ε_{ij}×[e_{i}×e_{j}] with ε_{ij} being the bond vector connecting the spins e_{i} and e_{j}. Using density-functional theory, we illustrate how the proposed mechanism works in the spiral magnets CuCl_{2}, CuBr_{2}, CuO, and α-Li_{2}IrO_{3}, providing a consistent explanation for the available experimental data.

Observation of metallic electronic structure in a single-atomic-layer oxide

Correlated electrons in transition metal oxides exhibit a variety of emergent phases. When transition metal oxides are confined to a single-atomic-layer thickness, experiments so far have shown that they usually lose diverse properties and become insulators. In an attempt to extend the range of electronic phases of the single-atomic-layer oxide, we search for a metallic phase in a monolayer-thick epitaxial SrRuO3 film. Combining atomic-scale epitaxy and angle-resolved photoemission measurements, we show that the monolayer SrRuO3 is a strongly correlated metal. Systematic investigation reveals that the interplay between dimensionality and electronic correlation makes the monolayer SrRuO3 an incoherent metal with orbital-selective correlation. Furthermore, the unique electronic phase of the monolayer SrRuO3 is found to be highly tunable, as charge modulation demonstrates an incoherent-to-coherent crossover of the two-dimensional metal. Our work emphasizes the potentially rich phases of single-atomic-layer oxides and provides a guide to the manipulation of their two-dimensional correlated electron systems.

Efficient Method for Prediction of Metastable or Ground Multipolar Ordered States and Its Application in Monolayer α-RuX_{3} (X=Cl, I)

Exotic high-rank multipolar order parameters have been found to be unexpectedly active in more and more correlated materials in recent years. Such multipoles are usually dubbed "hidden orders" since they are insensitive to common experimental probes. Theoretically, it is also difficult to predict multipolar orders via ab initio calculations in real materials. Here, we present an efficient method to predict possible multipoles in materials based on linear response theory under random phase approximation. Using this method, we successfully predict two pure metastable magnetic octupolar states in monolayer α-RuCl_{3}, which is confirmed by self-consistent unrestricted Hartree-Fock calculations. We then demonstrate that these octupolar states can be stabilized in monolayer α-RuI_{3}, one of which becomes the octupolar ground state. Furthermore, we also predict a fingerprint of an orthogonal magnetization pattern produced by the octupole moment that can be easily detected by experiment. The method and the example presented in this Letter serve as a guide for searching multipolar order parameters in other correlated materials.

Spin-orbit effects in pentavalent iridates: models and materials

Spin-orbit effects in heavy 5dtransition metal oxides, in particular, iridates, have received enormous current interest due to the prediction as well as the realization of a plethora of exotic and unconventional magnetic properties. While a bulk of these works are based on tetravalent iridates (d⁵), where the counter-intuitive insulating state of the rather extended 5dorbitals are explained by invoking strong spin-orbit coupling, the recent quest in iridate research has shifted to the other valencies of Ir, of which pentavalent iridates constitute a notable representative. In contrast to the tetravalent iridates, spin-orbit entangled electrons ind⁴systems are expected to be confined to theJ= 0 singlet state without any resultant moment or magnetic response. However, it has been recently predicted that, magnetism ind⁴systems may occur via magnetic condensation of excitations across spin-orbit-coupled states. In reality, the magnetism in Ir⁵⁺systems are often quite debatable both from theoretical as well as experimental point of view. Here we provide a comprehensive overview of the spin-orbit coupledd⁴model systems and its implications in the studied pentavalent iridates. In particular, we review here the current experimental and theoretical understanding of the double perovskite (A₂BYIrO₆,A= Sr, Ba,B= Y, Sc, Gd), 6H-perovskite (Ba₃MIr₂O₉,M= Zn, Mg, Sr, Ca), post-perovskite (NaIrO₃), and hexagonal (Sr₃MIrO₆) iridates, along with a number of open questions that require future investigation.

On the proximate Kitaev quantum-spin liquid α-RuCl3: thermodynamics, excitations and continua

This topical review provides an overview over recent thermodynamic, infrared, and THz results on the proximate Kitaev spin-liquid. Quantum-spin liquids are exotic phases characterized by the absence of magnetic ordering even at the lowest temperatures and by the occurrence of fractionalized spin excitations. Among those, Kitaev spin liquids are most fascinating as they belong to the rare class of model systems, that can be solved analytically by decomposing localized spinsS= 1/2 into Majorana fermions. The main aim of this review is to summarize experimental evidence obtained by THz spectroscopy and utilizing heat-capacity experiments, which point to the existence of fractionalized excitations in the spin-liquid state, which in α-RuCl₃exists at temperatures just above the onset of magnetic order or at in-plane magnetic fields just beyond the quantum-critical point where antiferromagnetic order becomes suppressed. Thermodynamic and spectroscopic results are compared to theoretical predictions and model calculations. In addition, we document recent progress in elucidating the sub-gap (<1 eV) electronic structure of the 4d⁵ruthenium electrons to characterize their local electronic configuration. The on-site excitation spectra of thedelectrons below the optical gap can be consistently explained using a spin-orbit coupling constant of ∼170 meV and the concept of multiple spin-orbital excitations. Furthermore, we discuss the phonon spectra of the title compound including rigid-plane shear and compression modes of the single molecular layers. In recent theoretical concepts it has been shown that phonons can couple to Majorana fermions and may play a substantial role in establishing the half-integer thermal quantum Hall effect observed in this material.

Large Magnetocrystalline Anisotropy and Giant Coercivity in the Ferrimagnetic Double Perovskite Lu2NiIrO6

We discover that large uniaxial magnetocrystalline anisotropy driven by the simultaneous presence of spin-orbit coupling and structural distortions is the origin of the giant coercivity observed experimentally in the double perovskite Lu₂NiIrO₆. The magnetic easy axis turns out to be the monoclinic b-axis with an anisotropy constant as high as 1.9 × 10⁸ erg/cm³. The predicted coercive field of 50 kOe and Curie temperature of 220 K agree with the experimentally observed values and point to potential of Lu₂NiIrO₆ in spintronics applications. We find that the spin-orbit coupling induces a rare Ir⁴⁺ J_eff = 1/2 Mott insulating state, suggesting that Lu₂NiIrO₆ provides a playground to study the interplay between spin-orbit coupling and electronic correlations in a 5d transition metal oxide. The spin-orbit coupling also results in a direct band gap with the valence and conduction states localized on different transition metal sublattices, i.e., efficient electron-hole separation upon photoexcitation and low electron-hole recombination.

Electronic band structure of iridates

In this review, an attempt has been made to compare the electronic structures of various 5d iridates (iridium oxides), with an effort to note the common features and differences. Both experimental studies, especially angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) results, and first-principles band structure calculations have been discussed. This brings to focus the fact that the electronic structures and magnetic properties of the high-Z 5d transition iridates depend on the intricate interplay of strong electron correlation, strong (relativistic) spin-orbit coupling, lattice distortion, and the dimensionality of the system. For example, in the thin film limit, SrIrO₃ exhibits a metal-insulator transition that corresponds to the dimensionality crossover, with the band structure resembling that of bulk Sr₂IrO₄.

Proximate ferromagnetic state in the Kitaev model material α-RuCl3

α-RuCl₃ is a major candidate for the realization of the Kitaev quantum spin liquid, but its zigzag antiferromagnetic order at low temperatures indicates deviations from the Kitaev model. We have quantified the spin Hamiltonian of α-RuCl₃ by a resonant inelastic x-ray scattering study at the Ru L₃ absorption edge. In the paramagnetic state, the quasi-elastic intensity of magnetic excitations has a broad maximum around the zone center without any local maxima at the zigzag magnetic Bragg wavevectors. This finding implies that the zigzag order is fragile and readily destabilized by competing ferromagnetic correlations. The classical ground state of the experimentally determined Hamiltonian is actually ferromagnetic. The zigzag state is stabilized by quantum fluctuations, leaving ferromagnetism – along with the Kitaev spin liquid – as energetically proximate metastable states. The three closely competing states and their collective excitations hold the key to the theoretical understanding of the unusual properties of α-RuCl₃ in magnetic fields.

RuCl₃ has stood out as a prime candidate in the search for quantum spin liquids; however, its antiferromagnetic ordering at low temperature suggests deviations from typical QSL models. Here, using resonant inelastic x-ray scattering, the authors provide a comprehensive determination of the low energy effective Hamiltonian.

Coupled spin-orbital fluctuations in a three orbital model for 4dand 5doxides with electron fillingsn3, 4, 5-application to NaOsO3, Ca2RuO4and Sr2IrO4

A unified approach is presented for investigating coupled spin-orbital fluctuations within a realistic three-orbital model for strongly spin-orbit coupled systems with electron fillingsn= 3, 4, 5 in thet_2gsector ofd_yz,d_xz,d_xyorbitals. A generalized fluctuation propagator is constructed which is consistent with the generalized self-consistent Hartree-Fock approximation where all Coulomb interaction contributions involving orbital diagonal and off-diagonal spin and charge condensates are included. Besides the low-energy magnon, intermediate-energy orbiton and spin-orbiton, and high-energy spin-orbit exciton modes, the generalized spectral function also shows other high-energy excitations such as the Hund's coupling induced gapped magnon modes. We relate the characteristic features of the coupled spin-orbital excitations to the complex magnetic behavior resulting from the interplay between electronic bands, spin-orbit coupling, Coulomb interactions, and structural distortion effects, as realized in the compounds NaOsO₃, Ca₂RuO₄, and Sr₂IrO₄.

Surface Reconstruction for Forming the [IrO6]-[IrO6] Framework: Key Structure for Stable and Activated OER Performance in Acidic Media

The surface reconstruction of iridium-based derivatives (A_xIr_yO_z) was extensively demonstrated to have an excellent oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance in an acidic medium. It is urgent to use various spectroscopy and computational methods to explore the electronic state changes in the surface reconstruction process. Herein, the underestimated Lu₂Ir₂O₇ was synthesized and investigated. Four typical forms of electrochemistry impedance spectra involved in the reconstruction process revealed three dominating forms of reconstructed pyrochlore in the OER stage, including the inner intact pyrochlore, mid metastable [IrO₆]-[IrO₆] framework, and the outer collapse amorphous layer. The enhancing electron transport efficiency of the corner-shared [IrO₆]-[IrO₆] framework was revealed as a critical role in acidic systems. The density of state (DOS) for the constructed [IrO₆]-[IrO₆] framework corroborated the enhancement of Ir-O hybridization and the downshift of the d-band center. Additionally, we contrast the pristine and reconstruction properties of the Pr₂Ir₂O₇, Eu₂Ir₂O₇, and Lu₂Ir₂O₇ in alkaline and acidic media. The DOS and the XANES results reveal the scale relationship between the O 2p band center and the intrinsic activity for bulk pyrochlore in alkaline media. The highest O 2p center and the highest Ir-O hybridization of Lu₂Ir₂O₇ exhibited the best OER performance among the Ir-based pyrochlore, up to a ninefold improvement in Ir-mass activity compared to IrO₂. Our findings emphasize the electrochemical behavior of the reconstruction process for activated water-splitting performance.

Probing spin fluctuations in NaOsO3by muon spin rotation and NMR spectroscopy

We have used muon spin rotation and relaxation (μSR) and²³Na nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic methods in the NaOsO₃antiferromagnetic phase to determine the temperature evolution of the magnetic order parameter and the role of the magnetic fluctuations at the Néel temperature. Additionally, we performed muon spin relaxation measurements in the vicinity ofT_A= 30 K, where the appearance of an anomaly in the electrical resistivity was suggested to be due to a progressive reduction of the Os magnetic moment associated with spin fluctuation. Our measurements suggest the absence of prominent change in the spin fluctuations frequency atT_A, within the muon probing time scale and the absence of a reduction of the localized Os magnetic moment reflected by the stability within few permille of the local magnetic field strength sensed by the muons below 50 K.

Magnetic and transport properties of the mixed 3d-5d-4fdouble perovskite Sm2CoIrO6

Iridium-based double perovskites having mixed 3d-5d-4fmagnetic sub-lattices are expected to exhibit exotic magnetic phenomenon. In this paper, we report a study of structural, magnetic and transport properties of the mixed 3d-5d-4fdouble perovskite Sm₂CoIrO₆(SMCO), which crystallizes in monoclinic structure with space groupP2₁/nand the crystal symmetry remains same throughout the measured temperature down to 15 K. High resolution synchrotron x-ray diffraction reveals an isostructural phase transition around 104 K. Magnetization measurements on polycrystalline samples indicate that SMCO orders ferrimagnetically atT_FiM= 104 K; while, a second transition is observed below 10 K due to the rare-earth (Sm³⁺) ordering. The ferrimagnetic transition is well-understood by Néel's two-sublattice model, which is primarily ascribed to antiferromagnetic coupling between Co²⁺and Ir⁴⁺sub-lattices. Electronic transport measurement shows the insulting behaviour of SMCO, which follows Mott variable-range hopping conduction mechanism. However, dielectric measurements as a function of temperature rules out the presence of magneto dielectric coupling in this compound.

Superconducting Sr2RuO4 Thin Films without Out-of-Phase Boundaries by Higher-Order Ruddlesden-Popper Intergrowth

Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) phases (A_n+1B_nO_3n+1, n = 1, 2,···) have attracted intensive research with diverse functionalities for device applications. However, the realization of a high-quality RP-phase film is hindered by the formation of out-of-phase boundaries (OPBs) that occur at terrace edges, originating from lattice mismatch in the c-axis direction with the A'B'O₃ (n = ∞) substrate. Here, using strontium ruthenate RP-phase Sr₂RuO₄ (n = 1) as a model system, an experimental approach for suppressing OPBs was developed. By tuning the growth parameters, the Sr₃Ru₂O₇ (n = 2) phase was formed in a controlled manner near the film-substrate interface. This higher-order RP-phase then blocked the subsequent formation of OPBs, resulting in nearly defect-free Sr₂RuO₄ layer at the upper region of the film. Consequently, the Sr₂RuO₄ thin films exhibited superconductivity up to 1.15 K, which is the highest among Sr₂RuO₄ films grown by pulsed laser deposition. This work paves the way for synthesizing pristine RP-phase heterostructures and exploring their unique physical properties.

The 'dark phase' in Sr2Ir1-xRhxO4revealed by Seebeck and Hall measurements

It was found that, although isovalent, Rh substituted for Ir in Sr₂IrO₄may trap one electron inducing effective hole doping of Ir sites. Transport and thermoelectric measurements on Sr₂Ir_1-xRh_xO₄single crystals presented here reveal the existence of an electron-like contribution to transport, in addition to the hole-doped one. As no electron band shows up in ARPES measurements, this points to the possibility that this hidden electron may delocalize in disordered clusters.

Electronic structure of ternary palladates and effect of hole doping: a valence band photoemission spectroscopic study

We investigate the electronic structure of ternary palladatesAPd₃O₄(A= Sr, Ca) using valence band photoemission spectroscopy and band structure calculations. Energy positions of various features and overall width of the experimental valence band spectra are well captured by band structure calculations using hybrid functional. Band structure calculations within local density approximations lead to metallic ground state while the calculations using hybrid functional provide band gap of 0.25 eV and 0.22 eV for CaPd₃O₄and SrPd₃O₄respectively, suggesting moderate to strong electron correlation strength in these narrow band gap semiconducting palladates. High resolution spectra reveal negligibly small intensity at Fermi level,E_F, for parent compounds, while hole doped SrPd₃O₄(by 15% Li substitution at Sr site) exhibits a Fermi cut-off suggesting metallic character in contrast to semiconducting transport. These observations reveal the importance of localization of electrons in case where the Fermi edge falls in the mobility edge.

Os Doping Suppressed Cu-Fe Charge Transfer and Induced Structural and Magnetic Phase Transitions in LaCu3Fe4-xOsxO12 (x = 1 and 2)

B-site Os-doped quadruple perovskite oxides LaCu₃Fe_4-xOs_xO₁₂ (x = 1 and 2) were prepared under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions. Although parent compound LaCu₃Fe₄O₁₂ experiences Cu-Fe intermetallic charge transfer that changes the Cu³⁺/Fe³⁺ charge combination to Cu²⁺/Fe^3.75+ at 393 K, in the Os-doped samples, the Cu and Fe charge states are found to be constant 2+ and 3+, respectively, indicating the complete suppression of charge transfer. Correspondingly, Os⁶⁺ and mixed Os^4.5+ valence states are determined by X-ray absorption spectroscopy for x = 1 and x = 2 compositions, respectively. The x = 1 sample crystallizes in an Fe/Os disordered structure with the Im3̅ space group. It experiences a spin-glass transition around 480 K. With further Os substitution up to x = 2, the crystal symmetry changes to Pn3̅, where Fe and Os are orderly distributed in a rocksalt-type fashion at the B site. Moreover, this composition shows a long-range Cu²⁺(↑)Fe³⁺(↑)Os^4.5+(↓) ferrimagnetic ordering near 520 K. This work provides a rare example for 5d substitution-suppressed intermetallic charge transfer as well as induced structural and magnetic phase transitions with high spin ordering temperature.

Tl2Ir2O7: A Pauli Paramagnetic Metal, Proximal to a Metal Insulator Transition

A polycrystalline sample of Tl₂Ir₂O₇ was synthesized by high-pressure and high-temperature methods. Tl₂Ir₂O₇ crystallizes in the cubic pyrochlore structure with space group Fd3̅m (No. 227). The Ir⁴⁺ oxidation state is confirmed by Ir-L₃ X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy. Combined temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility, resistivity, specific heat, and DFT+DMFT calculation data show that Tl₂Ir₂O₇ is a Pauli paramagnetic metal, but it is close to a metal-insulator transition. The effective ionic size of Tl³⁺ is much smaller than that of Pr³⁺ in metallic Pr₂Ir₂O₇; hence, Tl₂Ir₂O₇ would be expected to be insulating according to the established phase diagram of the pyrochlore iridate compounds, A³⁺₂Ir⁴⁺₂O₇. Our experimental and theoretical studies indicate that Tl₂Ir₂O₇ is uniquely different from the current A³⁺₂Ir⁴⁺₂O₇ phase diagram. This uniqueness is attributed primarily to the electronic configuration difference between Tl³⁺ and rare-earth ions, which plays a substantial role in determining the Ir-O-Ir bond angle, and the corresponding electrical and magnetic properties.

Advanced First-Principle Modeling of Relativistic Ruddlesden—Popper Strontium Iridates

In this review, we provide a survey of the application of advanced first-principle methods on the theoretical modeling and understanding of novel electronic, optical, and magnetic properties of the spin-orbit coupled Ruddlesden–Popper series of iridates Srn+1IrnO3n+1 (n = 1, 2, and ∞). After a brief description of the basic aspects of the adopted methods (noncollinear local spin density approximation plus an on-site Coulomb interaction (LSDA+U), constrained random phase approximation (cRPA), GW, and Bethe–Salpeter equation (BSE)), we present and discuss select results. We show that a detailed phase diagrams of the metal–insulator transition and magnetic phase transition can be constructed by inspecting the evolution of electronic and magnetic properties as a function of Hubbard U, spin–orbit coupling (SOC) strength, and dimensionality n, which provide clear evidence for the crucial role played by SOC and U in establishing a relativistic (Dirac) Mott–Hubbard insulating state in Sr2IrO4 and Sr3Ir2O7. To characterize the ground-state phases, we quantify the most relevant energy scales fully ab initio—crystal field energy, Hubbard U, and SOC constant of three compounds—and discuss the quasiparticle band structures in detail by comparing GW and LSDA+U data. We examine the different magnetic ground states of structurally similar n = 1 and n = 2 compounds and clarify that the origin of the in-plane canted antiferromagnetic (AFM) state of Sr2IrO4 arises from competition between isotropic exchange and Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya (DM) interactions whereas the collinear AFM state of Sr3Ir2O7 is due to strong interlayer magnetic coupling. Finally, we report the dimensionality controlled metal–insulator transition across the series by computing their optical transitions and conductivity spectra at the GW+BSE level from the the quasi two-dimensional insulating n = 1 and 2 phases to the three-dimensional metallic n=∞ phase.

Angle, Spin, and Depth Resolved Photoelectron Spectroscopy on Quantum Materials

The role of X-ray based electron spectroscopies in determining chemical, electronic, and magnetic properties of solids has been well-known for several decades. A powerful approach is angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, whereby the kinetic energy and angle of photoelectrons emitted from a sample surface are measured. This provides a direct measurement of the electronic band structure of crystalline solids. Moreover, it yields powerful insights into the electronic interactions at play within a material and into the control of spin, charge, and orbital degrees of freedom, central pillars of future solid state science. With strong recent focus on research of lower-dimensional materials and modified electronic behavior at surfaces and interfaces, angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy has become a core technique in the study of quantum materials. In this review, we provide an introduction to the technique. Through examples from several topical materials systems, including topological insulators, transition metal dichalcogenides, and transition metal oxides, we highlight the types of information which can be obtained. We show how the combination of angle, spin, time, and depth-resolved experiments are able to reveal "hidden" spectral features, connected to semiconducting, metallic and magnetic properties of solids, as well as underlining the importance of dimensional effects in quantum materials.

Pseudo-spin rotation symmetry breaking by Coulomb interaction terms in spin-orbit coupled systems

By transforming from the pure-spin-orbital (t _2g) basis to the spin-orbital entangled pseudo-spin-orbital basis, the pseudo-spin rotation symmetry of the different Coulomb interaction terms is investigated under SU(2) transformation in pseudo-spin space. While the Hubbard and density interaction terms are invariant, the Hund's coupling and pair-hopping interaction terms explicitly break pseudo-spin rotation symmetry systematically. The form of the symmetry-breaking terms obtained from the transformation of the Coulomb interaction terms accounts for the easy x-y plane anisotropy and magnon gap for the out-of-plane mode, highlighting the importance of mixing with the nominally non-magnetic J = 3/2 sector, and providing a physically transparent approach for investigating magnetic ordering and anisotropy effects in perovskite (Sr₂IrO₄) and other d ⁵ pseudo-spin compounds.

Possible quadrupole order in tetragonal Ba2CdReO6and chemical trend in the ground states of 5d1double perovskites

The synthesis and physical properties of the double perovskite (DP) compound Ba₂CdReO₆with the 5d¹electronic configuration are reported. Three successive phases originating from a spin-orbit-entangledJ_eff= 3/2 state, confirmed by a reduced effective magnetic moment of 0.72 μ_B, were observed upon cooling. X-ray diffraction measurements revealed a structural transition from a high-temperature cubic structure to a low-temperature tetragonal structure atT_s= 170 K, below which theJ_eff= 3/2 state was preserved. Magnetization, heat capacity, and thermal expansion measurements showed two more electronic transitions to a possible quadrupole ordered state atT_q= 25 K and an antiferromagnetic order of dipoles with a ferromagnetic moment of ∼0.2 μ_BatT_m= 12 K. These properties were compared with those of the DP's sister compounds Ba₂BReO₆(B= Mg, Zn, and Ca) and the chemical trend is discussed in terms of the mean-field theory for spin-orbit-coupled 5delectrons (2010 Chenet al Phys. Rev. B82174440). The DP Ba₂BReO₆compounds provide a unique opportunity for a systematic investigation of symmetry breaking in the presence of multipolar degrees of freedom.

Structural Transition with a Sharp Change in the Electrical Resistivity and Spin-Orbit Mott Insulating State in a Rhenium Oxide, Sr3Re2O9

We report the successful synthesis, crystal structure, and electrical properties of Sr₃Re₂O₉, which contains Re⁶⁺ with the 5d¹ configuration. This compound is isostructural with Ba₃Re₂O₉ and shows a first-order structural phase transition at ∼370 K. The low-temperature (LT) phase crystallizes in a hettotype structure of Ba₃Re₂O₉, which is different from that of the LT phase of Sr₃W₂O₉, suggesting that the electronic state of Re⁶⁺ plays an important role in determining the crystal structure of the LT phase. The structural transition is accompanied by a sharp change in the electrical resistivity. This is likely a metal-insulator transition, as suggested by the electronic band calculation and magnetic susceptibility. In the LT phase, the ReO₆ octahedra are rotated in a pseudo-a⁰a⁰a⁺ manner in Glazer notation, which corresponds to C-type orbital ordering. Paramagnetic dipole moments were confirmed to exist in the LT phase by muon spin rotation and relaxation measurements. However, the dipole moments shrink greatly because of the strong spin-orbit coupling in the Re ions. Thus, the electronic state of the LT phase corresponds to a Mott insulating state with strong spin-orbit interactions at the Re sites.

High-Pressure Synthesis of Double Perovskite Ba2NiIrO6: In Search of a Ferromagnetic Insulator

Double perovskite oxides with d⁸-d³ electronic configurations are expected to be ferromagnetic from the Goodenough-Kanamori rules, such as ferromagnetic La₂NiMnO₆. In search of new ferromagnetic insulators, double perovskite Ba₂NiIrO₆ was successfully synthesized by high-pressure and high-temperature methods (8 GPa and 1573 K). Ba₂NiIrO₆ crystallizes in a cubic double perovskite structure (space group: Fm3̅m), with an ordered arrangement of NiO₆ and IrO₆ octahedra. X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy confirms the nominal Ni(II) and Ir(VI) valence states. Ba₂NiIrO₆ displays an antiferromagnetic order at 51 K. The positive Weiss temperature, however, indicates that ferromagnetic interactions are dominant. Isothermal magnetization curves at low temperatures support a field-induced spin-flop transition.

Doping and temperature evolutions of optical response of Sr3(Ir1-xRux)2O7

We report on optical spectroscopic study of the Sr₃(Ir_1-xRu_x)₂O₇ system over a wide doping regime. We find that the changes in the electronic structure occur in the limited range of the concentration of Ru ions where the insulator-metal transition occurs. In the insulating regime, the electronic structure associated with the effective total angular momentum J_eff = 1/2 Mott state remains robust against Ru doping, indicating the localization of the doped holes. Upon entering the metallic regime, the Mott gap collapses and the Drude-like peak with strange metallic character appears. The evolution of the electronic structure registered in the optical data can be explained in terms of a percolative insulator-metal transition. The phonon spectra display anomalous doping evolution of the lineshapes. While the phonon modes of the compounds deep in the insulating and metallic regimes are almost symmetric, those of the semiconducting compound with x = 0.34 in close proximity to the doping-driven insulator-metal transition show a pronounced asymmetry. The temperature evolution of the phonon modes of the x = 0.34 compound reveals the asymmetry is enhanced in the antiferromagnetic state. We discuss roles of the S = 1 spins of the Ru ions and charge excitations for the conspicuous lineshape asymmetry of the x = 0.34 compound.

Orbital Effects in Solids: Basics, Recent Progress, and Opportunities

The properties of transition metal compounds are largely determined by nontrivial interplay of different degrees of freedom: charge, spin, lattice, and also orbital ones. Especially rich and interesting effects occur in systems with orbital degeneracy. For example, they result in the famous Jahn-Teller effect, leading to a plethora of consequences for static and dynamic properties, including nontrivial quantum effects. In the present review, we discuss the main phenomena in the physics of such systems, paying central attention to the novel manifestations of those. After shortly summarizing the basic phenomena and their descriptions, we concentrate on several specific directions in this field. One of them is the reduction of effective dimensionality in many systems with orbital degrees of freedom due to the directional character of orbitals, with the concomitant appearance of some instabilities that lead in particular to the formation of dimers, trimers, and similar clusters in a material. The properties of such cluster systems, which are largely determined by their orbital structure, are discussed in detail, and many specific examples of those in different materials are presented. Another big field that has acquired special significance relatively recently is the role of the relativistic spin-orbit interaction. The mutual influence of this interaction and the more traditional Jahn-Teller physics is treated in detail in the second part of the review. In discussing all of these questions, special attention is paid to novel quantum effects.

Electronic, phononic and superconducting properties of trigonal Li2MSi2(MIr, Rh)

We have usedab initiodensity functional theory to study electronic, mechanical, phononic, and superconducting properties of Li2MSi2(M= Ir, Rh), which has recently been produced as a new type of transition metal-based ternary compound in the trigonal structure (Horiganeet al2019New J. Phys.21093056). The calculated electronic band structure and the density of states indicate that the Li2IrSi2and Li2RhSi2compounds are in metallic character. Mechanical properties such as elastic constants, bulk modulus, shear modulus, Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, and Debye temperature were calculated for these compounds. The calculated results suggest that the compounds are mechanically stable and behave in a ductile manner. The phonon spectra have no imaginary frequency, which proves that these compounds are dynamically stable. Electron-phonon coupling parameters confirm that they are weak-coupling superconductors. Although the influence of spin-orbit coupling in superconductivity is not significant for these compounds, it has a very small influence on electronic structure for Li2IrSi2. The calculated critical temperature (Tcμ⋆=0.11) values of 3.29 K for Li2IrSi2and 2.82 K for Li2RhSi2agree well with experimental estimates.

Mapping the structural, magnetic and electronic behavior of (Eu1- x Ca x )2Ir2O7 across a metal-insulator transition

In this study, we employ bulk electronic properties characterization and x-ray scattering/spectroscopy techniques to map the structural, magnetic and electronic properties of (Eu1-x Ca x )2Ir2O7 as a function of Ca-doping. As expected, the metal-insulator transition temperature, T MIT, decreases with Ca-doping until a metallic state is realized down to 2 K. In contrast, T AFM becomes decoupled from the MIT and (likely short-range) AFM order persists into the metallic regime. This decoupling is understood as a result of the onset of an electronically phase separated state, the occurrence of which seemingly depends on both synthesis method and rare earth site magnetism. PDF analysis suggests that electronic phase separation occurs without accompanying chemical phase segregation or changes in the short-range crystallographic symmetry while synchrotron x-ray diffraction confirms that there is no change in the long-range crystallographic symmetry. X-ray absorption measurements confirm the J eff = ½ character of (Eu1-x Ca x )2Ir2O7. Surprisingly these measurements also indicate a net electron doping, rather than the expected hole doping, indicating a compensatory mechanism. Lastly, XMCD measurements show a weak Ir magnetic polarization that is largely unaffected by Ca-doping. Keywords: term, term, term.

Osmates on the Verge of a Hund's-Mott Transition: The Different Fates of NaOsO_{3} and LiOsO_{3}

We clarify the origin of the strikingly different spectroscopic properties of the chemically similar compounds NaOsO_{3} and LiOsO_{3}. Our first-principle, many-body analysis demonstrates that the highly sensitive physics of these two materials is controlled by their proximity to an adjacent Hund's-Mott insulating phase. Although 5d oxides are mildly correlated, we show that the cooperative action of intraorbital repulsion and Hund's exchange becomes the dominant physical mechanism in these materials if their t_{2g} shell is half filled. Small material specific details hence result in an extremely sharp change of the electronic mobility, explaining the surprisingly different properties of the paramagnetic high-temperature phases of the two compounds.

Strain engineering of the charge and spin-orbital interactions in Sr2IrO4

Understanding the relationship between entangled degrees of freedom (DOF) is a central problem in correlated materials and the possibility to influence their balance is promising toward realizing novel functionalities. In Sr₂IrO₄, the interaction between spin–orbit coupling and electron correlations induces an exotic ground state with magnetotransport properties promising for antiferromagnetic spintronics applications. Moreover, the coupling between orbital and spin DOF renders the magnetic structure sensitive to the Ir–O bond environment. To date, a detailed understanding of the microscopic spin-lattice and electron–phonon interactions is still lacking. Here, we use strain engineering to perturb the local lattice environment and, by tracking the response of the low-energy elementary excitations, we unveil the response of the microscopic spin and charge interactions.

In the high spin–orbit-coupled Sr₂IrO₄, the high sensitivity of the ground state to the details of the local lattice structure shows a large potential for the manipulation of the functional properties by inducing local lattice distortions. We use epitaxial strain to modify the Ir–O bond geometry in Sr₂IrO₄ and perform momentum-dependent resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) at the metal and at the ligand sites to unveil the response of the low-energy elementary excitations. We observe that the pseudospin-wave dispersion for tensile-strained Sr₂IrO₄ films displays large softening along the [h,0] direction, while along the [h,h] direction it shows hardening. This evolution reveals a renormalization of the magnetic interactions caused by a strain-driven cross-over from anisotropic to isotropic interactions between the magnetic moments. Moreover, we detect dispersive electron–hole pair excitations which shift to lower (higher) energies upon compressive (tensile) strain, manifesting a reduction (increase) in the size of the charge gap. This behavior shows an intimate coupling between charge excitations and lattice distortions in Sr₂IrO₄, originating from the modified hopping elements between the t_2g orbitals. Our work highlights the central role played by the lattice degrees of freedom in determining both the pseudospin and charge excitations of Sr₂IrO₄ and provides valuable information toward the control of the ground state of complex oxides in the presence of high spin–orbit coupling.

Structural, magnetic and dielectric properties in 3d-5dbased Sr2FeIrO6thin films

The structural, magnetic and dielectric properties have been investigated in 3d-5dbased double perovskite Sr₂FeIrO₆thin films deposited by pulse laser deposition technique. To understand the effect of strain, epitaxial films are grown with varying thickness as well as on different substrates i.e., SrTiO₃(100) and LaAlO₃(100). The films with highest thickness are found to be more relaxed. Atomic force microscope images indicate all films are of good quality where grain sizes increase with increase in film thickness. X-ray absorption (XAS) spectroscopy measurements indicate a Ir⁵⁺charge state in present films while providing a detailed picture of hybridization between Fe/Ir-dand O-porbitals. The bulk antiferromagnetic transition is retained in films though the transition temperature shifts to higher temperature. Both dielectric constant (ϵ_r) and loss (tan δ) show change around the magnetic ordering temperatures of bulk Sr₂FeIrO₆indicating a close relation between dielectric and magnetic behaviors. A Maxwell-Wagner type relaxation is found to follow over whole frequency range down to low temperature in present film. On changing the substrate i.e., LaAlO₃(100), theϵ_r(T) and (tan δ(T)) show almost similar behavior butϵ_rshows a higher value which is due to an increased strain coming from high mismatch of lattice parameters.

Magnetic reorientation transition in a three orbital model for Ca2RuO4-interplay of spin-orbit coupling, tetragonal distortion, and Coulomb interactions

Including the orbital off-diagonal spin and charge condensates in the self consistent determination of magnetic order within a realistic three-orbital model for the 4d4compound Ca2RuO4, reveals a host of novel features including strong and anisotropic spin-orbit coupling (SOC) renormalization, coupling of strong orbital magnetic moments to orbital fields, and a magnetic reorientation transition. Highlighting the rich interplay between orbital geometry and overlap, SOC, Coulomb interactions, tetragonal distortion, and staggered octahedral tilting and rotation, our investigation yields a planar antiferromagnetic (AFM) order for moderate tetragonal distortion, with easya-bplane and easybaxis anisotropies, along with small canting of the dominantlyyz,xzorbital moments. With decreasing tetragonal distortion, we find a magnetic reorientation transition from the dominantly planar AFM order to a dominantlycaxis ferromagnetic order with significantxyorbital moment.

Magnetization Density Distribution of Sr_{2}IrO_{4}: Deviation from a Local j_{eff}=1/2 Picture

5d iridium oxides are of huge interest due to the potential for new quantum states driven by strong spin-orbit coupling. The strontium iridate Sr_{2}IrO_{4} is particularly in the spotlight because of the so-called j_{eff}=1/2 state consisting of a quantum superposition of the three local t_{2g} orbitals with, in its simplest version, nearly equal populations, which stabilizes an unconventional Mott insulating state. Here, we report an anisotropic and aspherical magnetization density distribution measured by polarized neutron diffraction in a magnetic field up to 5 T at 4 K, which strongly deviates from a local j_{eff}=1/2 picture even when distortion-induced deviations from the equal weights of the orbital populations are taken into account. Once reconstructed by the maximum entropy method and multipole expansion model refinement, the magnetization density shows four cross-shaped positive lobes along the crystallographic tetragonal axes with a large spatial extent, showing that the xy orbital contribution is dominant. The analogy to the superconducting copper oxide systems might then be weaker than commonly thought.

Strain-driven half-metallicity in a ferri-magnetic Mott-insulator Lu2NiIrO6: a first-principles perspective

Half-metallic ferromagnetic/ferrimagnetic (FiM) materials are a matter of enormous interest due to their potential technological applications in solid-state electronic devices. In this way, strain plays an important role to tune or control the physical properties of the systems; therefore, the influence of both biaxial ([110]) and hydrostatic ([111]) strain on the electronic and magnetic properties of recently synthesized double perovskite oxide Lu2NiIrO6 is investigated using density-functional theory calculations. The unstrained system exhibits a FiM Mott-insulating (i.e., having an energy gap of 0.20 eV) ground state due to strong antiferromagnetic superexchange coupling between high-energy half-filled Ni2+-e2g↑ and low-energy partially filled Ir4+ t32g↑t22g↓ orbitals. Interestingly, a half-metallic FiM state is predicted under biaxial and hydrostatic compressive strains of -8% and -6%, respectively. The admixture of Ir 5d orbitals in the spin-majority channel is mainly responsible for the conductivity with small contributions from Ni 3d orbitals. In contrast, all the tensile strain systems show almost the same electronic behavior (Mott-insulating FiM states) as found in the case of the unstrained system. The magnetic moments of the Ni (Ir) ion slightly decrease and increase as a function of compressive and tensile strains due to shortening and lengthening of the Ni-O(Ir-O) bond lengths, respectively. Moreover, our calculations show that compressive strain enhances the structural distortions, which could help to increase the Curie temperature of the system.

Symmetry-Resolved Two-Magnon Excitations in a Strong Spin-Orbit-Coupled Bilayer Antiferromagnet

We used a combination of polarized Raman spectroscopy and spin wave calculations to study magnetic excitations in the strong spin-orbit-coupled bilayer perovskite antiferromagnet Sr_{3}Ir_{2}O_{7}. We observed two broad Raman features at ∼800 and ∼1400  cm^{-1} arising from magnetic excitations. Unconventionally, the ∼800  cm^{-1} feature is fully symmetric (A_{1g}) with respect to the underlying tetragonal (D_{4h}) crystal lattice which, together with its broad line shape, definitively rules out the possibility of a single magnon excitation as its origin. In contrast, the ∼1400  cm^{-1} feature shows up in both the A_{1g} and B_{2g} channels. From spin wave and two-magnon scattering cross-section calculations of a tetragonal bilayer antiferromagnet, we identified the ∼800  cm^{-1} (1400  cm^{-1}) feature as two-magnon excitations with pairs of magnons from the zone-center Γ point (zone-boundary van Hove singularity X point). We further found that this zone-center two-magnon scattering is unique to bilayer perovskite magnets which host an optical branch in addition to the acoustic branch, as compared to their single layer counterparts. This zone-center two-magnon mode is distinct in symmetry from the time-reversal symmetry broken "spin wave gap" and "phase mode" proposed to explain the ∼92  meV (742  cm^{-1}) gap in resonant inelastic x-ray spectroscopy magnetic excitation spectra of Sr_{3}Ir_{2}O_{7}.

A comparative study on magnetic order and field-induced magnetic transition in double perovskite iridates: RE2ZnIrO6and RE2MgIrO6(RE = Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd)

We perform a comparative magnetic study on two series of rare-earth (RE) based double perovskite iridates RE2BIrO6(RE = Pr, Nd, Sm-Gd; B = Zn, Mg), which show Mott insulating state with tunable charge energy gap from ∼330 meV to ∼560 meV by changing RE cations. For nonmagnetic RE = Eu cations, Eu2MgIrO6shows antiferromagnetic (AFM) order and field-induced spin-flop transitions below Néel temperature (TN) in comparison with the ferromagnetic (FM)-like behaviors of Eu2ZnIrO6at low temperatures. For magnetic-moment-containing RE ions, Gd2BIrO6show contrasting magnetic behaviors with FM-like transition (B = Zn) and AFM order (B = Mg), respectively. While, for RE = Pr, Nd and Sm ions, all members show AFM ground state and field-induced spin-flop transitions belowTNirrespective of B = Zn or Mg cations. Moreover, two successive field-induced metamagnetic transitions are observed for RE2ZnIrO6(RE = Pr, Nd) in high field up to 56 T, the resultant field temperature (H-T) phase diagrams are constructed. The diverse magnetic behaviors in RE2BIrO6reveal that the 4f-Ir exchange interactions between the RE and Ir sublattices can mediate their magnetism.

Enhancement of the spin-orbit coupling by strong electronic correlations in transition metal and light actinide compounds

A simple variational argument is presented which indicates that the spin-orbit coupling in itinerant systems can be enhanced by strong electronic correlations. The importance of the enhancement in the formation of the giant magnetic anisotropy found in the metallic paramagnetic and magnetically ordered states of compounds containing transition metal and light actinide elements (such as tetragonal Sr2RhO4, Sr2IrO4, the cubic uranium monochalcogenides and tetragonal URu2Si2) is discussed.

Anisotropic magnetoresistance in spin-orbit semimetal SrIrO 3

SrIrO 3 , the three-dimensional member of the Ruddlesden-Popper iridates, is a paramagnetic semimetal characterised by a the delicate interplay between spin-orbit coupling and Coulomb repulsion. In this work, we study the anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) of SrIrO 3 thin films, which is closely linked to spin-orbit coupling and probes correlations between electronic transport, magnetic order and orbital states. We show that the low-temperature negative magnetoresistance is anisotropic with respect to the magnetic field orientation, and its angular dependence reveals the appearance of a fourfold symmetric component above a critical magnetic field. We show that this AMR component is of magnetocrystalline origin, and attribute the observed transition to a field-induced magnetic state in SrIrO 3 .