Is Ba3In2O6a high-Tcsuperconductor?

It has been suggested that Ba3In2O6might be a high-Tcsuperconductor. Experimental investigation of the properties of Ba3In2O6was long inhibited by its instability in air. Recently epitaxial Ba3In2O6with a protective capping layer was demonstrated, which finally allows its electronic characterization. The optical bandgap of Ba3In2O6is determined to be 2.99 eV in-the (001) plane and 2.83 eV along thec-axis direction by spectroscopic ellipsometry. First-principles calculations were carried out, yielding a result in good agreement with the experimental value. Various dopants were explored to induce (super-)conductivity in this otherwise insulating material. NeitherA- norB-site doping proved successful. The underlying reason is predominately the formation of oxygen interstitials as revealed by scanning transmission electron microscopy and first-principles calculations. Additional efforts to induce superconductivity were investigated, including surface alkali doping, optical pumping, and hydrogen reduction. To probe liquid-ion gating, Ba3In2O6was successfully grown epitaxially on an epitaxial SrRuO3bottom electrode. So far none of these efforts induced superconductivity in Ba3In2O6,leaving the answer to the initial question of whether Ba3In2O6is a high-Tcsuperconductor to be 'no' thus far.

Ultrafast Optically Induced Perturbation of Oxygen Octahedral Rotations in Multiferroic BiFeO3 Thin Films

The functional properties of complex oxides, including magnetism and ferroelectricity, are closely linked to subtle structural distortions. Ultrafast optical excitations provide the means to manipulate structural features and ultimately to affect the functional properties of complex oxides with picosecond-scale precision. We report that the lattice expansion of multiferroic BiFeO3 following above-bandgap optical excitation leads to distortion of the oxygen octahedral rotation (OOR) pattern. The continuous coupling between OOR and strain was probed using time-resolved X-ray free-electron laser diffraction with femtosecond time resolution. Density functional theory calculations predict a relationship between the OOR and the elastic strain consistent with the experiment, demonstrating a route to employing this approach in a wider range of systems. Ultrafast control of the functional properties of BiFeO3 thin films is enabled by this approach because the OOR phenomena are related to ferroelectricity, and via the Fe-O-Fe bond angles, the superexchange interaction between Fe atoms.

Manipulating chiral spin transport with ferroelectric polarization

A magnon is a collective excitation of the spin structure in a magnetic insulator and can transmit spin angular momentum with negligible dissipation. This quantum of a spin wave has always been manipulated through magnetic dipoles (that is, by breaking time-reversal symmetry). Here we report the experimental observation of chiral spin transport in multiferroic BiFeO3 and its control by reversing the ferroelectric polarization (that is, by breaking spatial inversion symmetry). The ferroelectrically controlled magnons show up to 18% modulation at room temperature. The spin torque that the magnons in BiFeO3 carry can be used to efficiently switch the magnetization of adjacent magnets, with a spin-torque efficiency comparable to the spin Hall effect in heavy metals. Utilizing such controllable magnon generation and transmission in BiFeO3, an all-oxide, energy-scalable logic is demonstrated composed of spin-orbit injection, detection and magnetoelectric control. Our observations open a new chapter of multiferroic magnons and pave another path towards low-dissipation nanoelectronics.

Absence of 3a0 charge density wave order in the infinite-layer nickelate NdNiO2

A hallmark of many unconventional superconductors is the presence of many-body interactions that give rise to broken-symmetry states intertwined with superconductivity. Recent resonant soft X-ray scattering experiments report commensurate 3a0 charge density wave order in infinite-layer nickelates, which has important implications regarding the universal interplay between charge order and superconductivity in both cuprates and nickelates. Here we present X-ray scattering and spectroscopy measurements on a series of NdNiO2+x samples, which reveal that the signatures of charge density wave order are absent in fully reduced, single-phase NdNiO2. The 3a0 superlattice peak instead originates from a partially reduced impurity phase where excess apical oxygens form ordered rows with three-unit-cell periodicity. The absence of any observable charge density wave order in NdNiO2 highlights a crucial difference between the phase diagrams of cuprate and nickelate superconductors.

In-Operando Spatiotemporal Imaging of Coupled Film-Substrate Elastodynamics During an Insulator-to-Metal Transition

The drive toward non-von Neumann device architectures has led to an intense focus on insulator-to-metal (IMT) and the converse metal-to-insulator (MIT) transitions. Studies of electric field-driven IMT in the prototypical VO2 thin-film channel devices are largely focused on the electrical and elastic responses of the films, but the response of the corresponding TiO2 substrate is often overlooked, since it is nominally expected to be electrically passive and elastically rigid. Here, in-operando spatiotemporal imaging of the coupled elastodynamics using X-ray diffraction microscopy of a VO2 film channel device on TiO2 substrate reveals two new surprises. First, the film channel bulges during the IMT, the opposite of the expected shrinking in the film undergoing IMT. Second, a microns thick proximal layer in the substrate also coherently bulges accompanying the IMT in the film, which is completely unexpected. Phase-field simulations of coupled IMT, oxygen vacancy electronic dynamics, and electronic carrier diffusion incorporating thermal and strain effects suggest that the observed elastodynamics can be explained by the known naturally occurring oxygen vacancies that rapidly ionize (and deionize) in concert with the IMT (MIT). Fast electrical-triggering of the IMT via ionizing defects and an active "IMT-like" substrate layer are critical aspects to consider in device applications.

Remote epitaxial interaction through graphene

The concept of remote epitaxy involves a two-dimensional van der Waals layer covering the substrate surface, which still enable adatoms to follow the atomic motif of the underlying substrate. The mode of growth must be carefully defined as defects, e.g., pinholes, in two-dimensional materials can allow direct epitaxy from the substrate, which, in combination with lateral epitaxial overgrowth, could also form an epilayer. Here, we show several unique cases that can only be observed for remote epitaxy, distinguishable from other two-dimensional material-based epitaxy mechanisms. We first grow BaTiO3 on patterned graphene to establish a condition for minimizing epitaxial lateral overgrowth. By observing entire nanometer-scale nuclei grown aligned to the substrate on pinhole-free graphene confirmed by high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy, we visually confirm that remote epitaxy is operative at the atomic scale. Macroscopically, we also show variations in the density of GaN microcrystal arrays that depend on the ionicity of substrates and the number of graphene layers.

Real-space imaging of periodic nanotextures in thin films via phasing of diffraction data

New properties and exotic quantum phenomena can form due to periodic nanotextures, including Moire patterns, ferroic domains, and topologically protected magnetization and polarization textures. Despite the availability of powerful tools to characterize the atomic crystal structure, the visualization of nanoscale strain-modulated structural motifs remains challenging. Here, we develop nondestructive real-space imaging of periodic lattice distortions in thin epitaxial films and report an emergent periodic nanotexture in a Mott insulator. Specifically, we combine iterative phase retrieval with unsupervised machine learning to invert the diffuse scattering pattern from conventional X-ray reciprocal-space maps into real-space images of crystalline displacements. Our imaging in PbTiO3/SrTiO3 superlattices exhibiting checkerboard strain modulation substantiates published phase-field model calculations. Furthermore, the imaging of biaxially strained Mott insulator Ca2RuO4 reveals a strain-induced nanotexture comprised of nanometer-thin metallic-structure wires separated by nanometer-thin Mott-insulating-structure walls, as confirmed by cryogenic scanning transmission electron microscopy (cryo-STEM). The nanotexture in Ca2RuO4 film is induced by the metal-to-insulator transition and has not been reported in bulk crystals. We expect the phasing of diffuse X-ray scattering from thin crystalline films in combination with cryo-STEM to open a powerful avenue for discovering, visualizing, and quantifying the periodic strain-modulated structures in quantum materials.

Dislocation-Assisted Quasi-Two-Dimensional Semiconducting Nanochannels Embedded in Perovskite Thin Films

Defect engineering in perovskite thin films has attracted extensive attention recently due to the films' atomic-scale modification, allowing for remarkable flexibility to design novel nanostructures for next generation nanodevices. However, the defect-assisted three-dimensional nanostructures in thin film matrices usually has large misfit strain and thus causes unstable thin film structures. In contrast, defect-assisted one- or two-dimensional nanostructures embedded in thin films can sustain large misfit strains without relaxation, which make them suitable for defect engineering in perovskite thin films. Here, we reported the fabrication and characterization of edge-type misfit dislocation-assisted two-dimensional BiMnO_x nanochannels embedded in SrTiO₃/La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO₃/TbScO₃ perovskite thin films. The nanochannels are epitaxially grown from the surrounding films without noticeable misfit strain. Diode-like current rectification was spatially observed at nanochannels due to the formation of Schottky junctions between BiMnO_x nanochannels and conducting La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO₃ thin films. Such atomically scaled heterostructures constitute more flexible ultimate functional units for nanoscale electronic devices.

Non-volatile electric-field control of inversion symmetry

Competition between ground states at phase boundaries can lead to significant changes in properties under stimuli, particularly when these ground states have different crystal symmetries. A key challenge is to stabilize and control the coexistence of symmetry-distinct phases. Using BiFeO₃ layers confined between layers of dielectric TbScO₃ as a model system, we stabilize the mixed-phase coexistence of centrosymmetric and non-centrosymmetric BiFeO₃ phases at room temperature with antipolar, insulating and polar semiconducting behaviour, respectively. Application of orthogonal in-plane electric (polar) fields results in reversible non-volatile interconversion between the two phases, hence removing and introducing centrosymmetry. Counterintuitively, we find that an electric field 'erases' polarization, resulting from the anisotropy in octahedral tilts introduced by the interweaving TbScO₃ layers. Consequently, this interconversion between centrosymmetric and non-centrosymmetric phases generates changes in the non-linear optical response of over three orders of magnitude, resistivity of over five orders of magnitude and control of microscopic polar order. Our work establishes a platform for cross-functional devices that take advantage of changes in optical, electrical and ferroic responses, and demonstrates octahedral tilts as an important order parameter in materials interface design.

Atomic-Scale Mapping and Quantification of Local Ruddlesden-Popper Phase Variations

The Ruddlesden-Popper (A_n+1B_nO_3n+1) compounds are highly tunable materials whose functional properties can be dramatically impacted by their structural phase n. The negligible differences in formation energies for different n can produce local structural variations arising from small stoichiometric deviations. Here, we present a Python analysis platform to detect, measure, and quantify the presence of different n-phases based on atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) images. We employ image phase analysis to identify horizontal Ruddlesden-Popper faults within the lattice images and quantify the local structure. Our semiautomated technique considers effects of finite projection thickness, limited fields of view, and lateral sampling rates. This method retains real-space distribution of layer variations allowing for spatial mapping of local n-phases to enable quantification of intergrowth occurrence and qualitative description of their distribution suitable for a wide range of layered materials.

Gapped Collective Charge Excitations and Interlayer Hopping in Cuprate Superconductors

We use resonant inelastic x-ray scattering to probe the propagation of plasmons in the electron-doped cuprate superconductor Sr_{0.9}La_{0.1}CuO_{2}. We detect a plasmon gap of ∼120  meV at the two-dimensional Brillouin zone center, indicating that low-energy plasmons in Sr_{0.9}La_{0.1}CuO_{2} are not strictly acoustic. The plasmon dispersion, including the gap, is accurately captured by layered t-J-V model calculations. A similar analysis performed on recent resonant inelastic x-ray scattering data from other cuprates suggests that the plasmon gap is generic and its size is related to the magnitude of the interlayer hopping t_{z}. Our work signifies the three dimensionality of the charge dynamics in layered cuprates and provides a new method to determine t_{z}.

Subpicosecond Optical Stress Generation in Multiferroic BiFeO3

Optical excitation leads to ultrafast stress generation in the prototypical multiferroic BiFeO₃. The time scales of stress generation are set by the dynamics of the population of excited electronic states and the coupling of the electronic configuration to the structure. X-ray free-electron laser diffraction reveals high-wavevector subpicosecond-time scale stress generation following ultraviolet excitation of a BiFeO₃ thin film. Stress generation includes a fast component with a 1/e rise time with an upper limit of 300 fs and longer-rise time components extending to 1.5 ps. The contributions of the fast and delayed components vary as a function of optical fluence, with a reduced a fast-component contribution at high fluence. The results provide insight into stress-generation mechanisms linked to the population of excited electrons and point to new directions in the application of nanoscale multiferroics and related ferroic complex oxides. The fast component of the stress indicates that structural parameters and properties of ferroelectric thin film materials can be optically modulated with 3 dB bandwidths of at least 0.5 THz.

Ferroelectric Modulation of Surface Electronic States in BaTiO3 for Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution Activity

Ferroelectric nanomaterials offer the promise of switchable electronic properties at the surface, with implications for photo- and electrocatalysis. Studies to date on the effect of ferroelectric surfaces in electrocatalysis have been primarily limited to nanoparticle systems where complex interfaces arise. Here, we use MBE-grown epitaxial BaTiO₃ thin films with atomically sharp interfaces as model surfaces to demonstrate the effect of ferroelectric polarization on the electronic structure, intermediate binding energy, and electrochemical activity toward the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Surface spectroscopy and ab initio DFT+U calculations of the well-defined (001) surfaces indicate that an upward polarized surface reduces the work function relative to downward polarization and leads to a smaller HER barrier, in agreement with the higher activity observed experimentally. Employing ferroelectric polarization to create multiple adsorbate interactions over a single electrocatalytic surface, as demonstrated in this work, may offer new opportunities for nanoscale catalysis design beyond traditional descriptors.

Normal-State Transport Properties of Infinite-Layer Sr1-xLaxCuO2 Electron-Doped Cuprates in Optimal- and Over-Doped Regimes

Transport properties of electron-doped cuprate Sr1−xLaxCuO2 thin films have been investigated as a function of doping. In particular, optimal- and over-doped samples were obtained by tuning the Sr:La stoichiometric ratio. Optimal-doped samples show a non-Fermi liquid behavior characterized by linear dependence of the resistivity from room temperature down to intermediate temperature (about 150–170 K). However, by approaching temperatures in the superconducting transition, a Fermi-liquid behavior-characterized by a T2-scaling law-was observed. Once established, the transition from a linear-T to a quadratic-T2 behavior was successfully traced back in over-doped samples, even occurring at lower temperatures. In addition, the over-doped samples show a crossover to a linear-T to a logarithmic dependence at high temperatures compatible with anti-ferromagnetic spin fluctuations dominating the normal state properties of electron-doped cuprates.

Oxide Two-Dimensional Electron Gas with High Mobility at Room-Temperature

The prospect of 2-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) possessing high mobility at room temperature in wide-bandgap perovskite stannates is enticing for oxide electronics, particularly to realize transparent and high-electron mobility transistors. Nonetheless only a small number of studies to date report 2DEGs in BaSnO₃ -based heterostructures. Here, 2DEG formation at the LaScO₃ /BaSnO₃ (LSO/BSO) interface with a room-temperature mobility of 60 cm²  V^-1  s^-1 at a carrier concentration of 1.7 × 10¹³  cm^-2 is reported. This is an order of magnitude higher mobility at room temperature than achieved in SrTiO₃ -based 2DEGs. This is achieved by combining a thick BSO buffer layer with an ex situ high-temperature treatment, which not only reduces the dislocation density but also produces a SnO₂ -terminated atomically flat surface, followed by the growth of an overlying BSO/LSO interface. Using weak beam dark-field transmission electron microscopy imaging and in-line electron holography technique, a reduction of the threading dislocation density is revealed, and direct evidence for the spatial confinement of a 2DEG at the BSO/LSO interface is provided. This work opens a new pathway to explore the exciting physics of stannate-based 2DEGs at application-relevant temperatures for oxide nanoelectronics.

Single-Crystal Alkali Antimonide Photocathodes: High Efficiency in the Ultrathin Limit

The properties of photoemission electron sources determine the ultimate performance of a wide class of electron accelerators and photon detectors. To date, all high-efficiency visible-light photocathode materials are either polycrystalline or exhibit intrinsic surface disorder, both of which limit emitted electron beam brightness. In this Letter, we demonstrate the synthesis of epitaxial thin films of Cs_{3}Sb on 3C-SiC (001) using molecular-beam epitaxy. Films as thin as 4 nm have quantum efficiencies exceeding 2% at 532 nm. We also find that epitaxial films have an order of magnitude larger quantum efficiency at 650 nm than comparable polycrystalline films on Si. Additionally, these films permit angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements of the electronic structure, which are found to be in good agreement with theory. Epitaxial films open the door to dramatic brightness enhancements via increased efficiency near threshold, reduced surface disorder, and the possibility of engineering new photoemission functionality at the level of single atomic layers.

Disentangling Coexisting Structural Order Through Phase Lock-In Analysis of Atomic-Resolution STEM Data

As a real-space technique, atomic-resolution STEM imaging contains both amplitude and geometric phase information about structural order in materials, with the latter encoding important information about local variations and heterogeneities present in crystalline lattices. Such phase information can be extracted using geometric phase analysis (GPA), a method which has generally focused on spatially mapping elastic strain. Here we demonstrate an alternative phase demodulation technique and its application to reveal complex structural phenomena in correlated quantum materials. As with other methods of image phase analysis, the phase lock-in approach can be implemented to extract detailed information about structural order and disorder, including dislocations and compound defects in crystals. Extending the application of this phase analysis to Fourier components that encode periodic modulations of the crystalline lattice, such as superlattice or secondary frequency peaks, we extract the behavior of multiple distinct order parameters within the same image, yielding insights into not only the crystalline heterogeneity but also subtle emergent order parameters such as antipolar displacements. When applied to atomic-resolution images spanning large (~0.5 × 0.5 μm2) fields of view, this approach enables vivid visualizations of the spatial interplay between various structural orders in novel materials.

Liberating a hidden antiferroelectric phase with interfacial electrostatic engineering

Antiferroelectric materials have seen a resurgence of interest because of proposed applications in a number of energy-efficient technologies. Unfortunately, relatively few families of antiferroelectric materials have been identified, precluding many proposed applications. Here, we propose a design strategy for the construction of antiferroelectric materials using interfacial electrostatic engineering. We begin with a ferroelectric material with one of the highest known bulk polarizations, BiFeO₃. By confining thin layers of BiFeO₃ in a dielectric matrix, we show that a metastable antiferroelectric structure can be induced. Application of an electric field reversibly switches between this new phase and a ferroelectric state. The use of electrostatic confinement provides an untapped pathway for the design of engineered antiferroelectric materials with large and potentially coupled responses.

Interfacial charge transfer and persistent metallicity of ultrathin SrIrO3/SrRuO3 heterostructures

Interface quantum materials have yielded a plethora of previously unknown phenomena, including unconventional superconductivity, topological phases, and possible Majorana fermions. Typically, such states are detected at the interface between two insulating constituents by electrical transport, but whether either material is conducting, transport techniques become insensitive to interfacial properties. To overcome these limitations, we use angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and molecular beam epitaxy to reveal the electronic structure, charge transfer, doping profile, and carrier effective masses in a layer-by-layer fashion for the interface between the Dirac nodal-line semimetal SrIrO₃ and the correlated metallic Weyl ferromagnet SrRuO₃. We find that electrons are transferred from the SrIrO₃ to SrRuO₃, with an estimated screening length of λ = 3.2 ± 0.1 Å. In addition, we find that metallicity is preserved even down to a single SrIrO₃ layer, where the dimensionality-driven metal-insulator transition typically observed in SrIrO₃ is avoided because of strong hybridization of the Ir and Ru t_2g states.

Deconvolution of Phonon Scattering by Ferroelectric Domain Walls and Point Defects in a PbTiO3 Thin Film Deposited in a Composition-Spread Geometry

We present a detailed analysis of the temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity of a ferroelectric PbTiO₃ thin film deposited in a composition-spread geometry enabling a continuous range of compositions from ∼25% titanium deficient to ∼20% titanium rich to be studied. By fitting the experimental results to the Debye model we deconvolute and quantify the two main phonon-scattering sources in the system: ferroelectric domain walls (DWs) and point defects. Our results prove that ferroelectric DWs are the main agent limiting the thermal conductivity in this system, not only in the stoichiometric region of the thin film ([Pb]/[Ti] ≈ 1) but also when the concentration of the cation point defects is significant (up to ∼15%). Hence, DWs in ferroelectric materials are a source of phonon scattering at least as effective as point defects. Our results demonstrate the viability and effectiveness of using reconfigurable DWs to control the thermal conductivity in solid-state devices.

Optical transient grating pumped X-ray diffraction microscopy for studying mesoscale structural dynamics

A fundamental understanding of materials’ structural dynamics, with fine spatial and temporal control, underpins future developments in electronic and quantum materials. Here, we introduce an optical transient grating pump and focused X-ray diffraction probe technique (TGXD) to examine the structural evolution of materials excited by modulated light with a precisely controlled spatial profile. This method adds spatial resolution and direct structural sensitivity to the established utility of a sinusoidal transient-grating excitation. We demonstrate TGXD using two thin-film samples: epitaxial BiFeO₃, which exhibits a photoinduced strain (structural grating) with an amplitude proportional to the optical fluence, and FeRh, which undergoes a magnetostructural phase transformation. In BiFeO₃, structural relaxation is location independent, and the strain persists on the order of microseconds, consistent with the optical excitation of long-lived charge carriers. The strain profile of the structural grating in FeRh, in comparison, deviates from the sinusoidal excitation and exhibits both higher-order spatial frequencies and a location-dependent relaxation. The focused X-ray probe provides spatial resolution within the engineered optical excitation profile, resolving the spatiotemporal flow of heat through FeRh locally heated above the phase transition temperature. TGXD successfully characterizes mesoscopic energy transport in functional materials without relying on a specific transport model.

Interfacial Electron-Phonon Coupling Constants Extracted from Intrinsic Replica Bands in Monolayer FeSe/SrTiO_{3}

The observation of replica bands by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy has ignited interest in the study of electron-phonon coupling at low carrier densities, particularly in monolayer FeSe/SrTiO_{3}, where the appearance of replica bands has motivated theoretical work suggesting that the interfacial coupling of electrons in the FeSe layer to optical phonons in the SrTiO_{3} substrate might contribute to the enhanced superconducting pairing temperature. Alternatively, it has also been recently proposed that such replica bands might instead originate from extrinsic final state losses associated with the photoemission process. Here, we perform a quantitative examination of replica bands in monolayer FeSe/SrTiO_{3}, where we are able to conclusively demonstrate that the replica bands are indeed signatures of intrinsic electron-boson coupling, and not associated with final state effects. A detailed analysis of the energy splittings and relative peak intensities between the higher-order replicas, as well as other self-energy effects, allows us to determine that the interfacial electron-phonon coupling in the system corresponds to a value of λ=0.19±0.02, providing valuable insights into the enhancement of superconductivity in monolayer FeSe/SrTiO_{3}. The methodology employed here can also serve as a new and general approach for making more rigorous and quantitative comparisons to theoretical calculations of electron-phonon interactions and coupling constants.

Impact of 2D-3D Heterointerface on Remote Epitaxial Interaction through Graphene

Remote epitaxy has drawn attention as it offers epitaxy of functional materials that can be released from the substrates with atomic precision, thus enabling production and heterointegration of flexible, transferrable, and stackable freestanding single-crystalline membranes. In addition, the remote interaction of atoms and adatoms through two-dimensional (2D) materials in remote epitaxy allows investigation and utilization of electrical/chemical/physical coupling of bulk (3D) materials via 2D materials (3D-2D-3D coupling). Here, we unveil the respective roles and impacts of the substrate material, graphene, substrate-graphene interface, and epitaxial material for electrostatic coupling of these materials, which governs cohesive ordering and can lead to single-crystal epitaxy in the overlying film. We show that simply coating a graphene layer on wafers does not guarantee successful implementation of remote epitaxy, since atomically precise control of the graphene-coated interface is required, and provides key considerations for maximizing the remote electrostatic interaction between the substrate and adatoms. This was enabled by exploring various material systems and processing conditions, and we demonstrate that the rules of remote epitaxy vary significantly depending on the ionicity of material systems as well as the graphene-substrate interface and the epitaxy environment. The general rule of thumb discovered here enables expanding 3D material libraries that can be stacked in freestanding form.

Engineering new limits to magnetostriction through metastability in iron-gallium alloys

Magnetostrictive materials transduce magnetic and mechanical energies and when combined with piezoelectric elements, evoke magnetoelectric transduction for high-sensitivity magnetic field sensors and energy-efficient beyond-CMOS technologies. The dearth of ductile, rare-earth-free materials with high magnetostrictive coefficients motivates the discovery of superior materials. Fe_1-xGa_x alloys are amongst the highest performing rare-earth-free magnetostrictive materials; however, magnetostriction becomes sharply suppressed beyond x = 19% due to the formation of a parasitic ordered intermetallic phase. Here, we harness epitaxy to extend the stability of the BCC Fe_1-xGa_x alloy to gallium compositions as high as x = 30% and in so doing dramatically boost the magnetostriction by as much as 10x relative to the bulk and 2x larger than canonical rare-earth based magnetostrictors. A Fe_1-xGa_x - [Pb(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃]_0.7-[PbTiO₃]_0.3 (PMN-PT) composite magnetoelectric shows robust 90° electrical switching of magnetic anisotropy and a converse magnetoelectric coefficient of 2.0 × 10^-5 s m^-1. When optimally scaled, this high coefficient implies stable switching at ~80 aJ per bit.

Dimensionality-Induced Change in Topological Order in Multiferroic Oxide Superlattices

We construct ferroelectric (LuFeO_{3})_{m}/(LuFe_{2}O_{4}) superlattices with varying index m to study the effect of confinement on topological defects. We observe a thickness-dependent transition from neutral to charged domain walls and the emergence of fractional vortices. In thin LuFeO_{3} layers, the volume fraction of domain walls grows, lowering the symmetry from P6_{3}cm to P3c1 before reaching the nonpolar P6_{3}/mmc state, analogous to the group-subgroup sequence observed at the high-temperature ferroelectric to paraelectric transition. Our study shows how dimensional confinement stabilizes textures beyond those in bulk ferroelectric systems.

Epitaxial Ferroelectric Hf0.5 Zr0.5 O2 with Metallic Pyrochlore Oxide Electrodes

The synthesis of fully epitaxial ferroelectric Hf_0.5 Zr_0.5 O₂ (HZO) thin films through the use of a conducting pyrochlore oxide electrode that acts as a structural and chemical template is reported. Such pyrochlores, exemplified by Pb₂ Ir₂ O₇ (PIO) and Bi₂ Ru₂ O₇ (BRO), exhibit metallic conductivity with room-temperature resistivity of <1 mΩ cm and are closely lattice matched to yttria-stabilized zirconia substrates as well as the HZO layers grown on top of them. Evidence for epitaxy and domain formation is established with X-ray diffraction and scanning transmission electron microscopy, which show that the c-axis of the HZO film is normal to the substrate surface. The emergence of the non-polar-monoclinic phase from the polar-orthorhombic phase is observed when the HZO film thickness is ≥≈30 nm. Thermodynamic analyses reveal the role of epitaxial strain and surface energy in stabilizing the polar phase as well as its coexistence with the non-polar-monoclinic phase as a function of film thickness.

Strain-stabilized superconductivity

Superconductivity is among the most fascinating and well-studied quantum states of matter. Despite over 100 years of research, a detailed understanding of how features of the normal-state electronic structure determine superconducting properties has remained elusive. For instance, the ability to deterministically enhance the superconducting transition temperature by design, rather than by serendipity, has been a long sought-after goal in condensed matter physics and materials science, but achieving this objective may require new tools, techniques and approaches. Here, we report the transmutation of a normal metal into a superconductor through the application of epitaxial strain. We demonstrate that synthesizing RuO₂ thin films on (110)-oriented TiO₂ substrates enhances the density of states near the Fermi level, which stabilizes superconductivity under strain, and suggests that a promising strategy to create new transition-metal superconductors is to apply judiciously chosen anisotropic strains that redistribute carriers within the low-energy manifold of d orbitals.

Amorphization mechanism of SrIrO3 electrocatalyst: How oxygen redox initiates ionic diffusion and structural reorganization

The use of renewable electricity to prepare materials and fuels from abundant molecules offers a tantalizing opportunity to address concerns over energy and materials sustainability. The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is integral to nearly all material and fuel electrosyntheses. However, very little is known about the structural evolution of the OER electrocatalyst, especially the amorphous layer that forms from the crystalline structure. Here, we investigate the interfacial transformation of the SrIrO3 OER electrocatalyst. The SrIrO3 amorphization is initiated by the lattice oxygen redox, a step that allows Sr2+ to diffuse and O2- to reorganize the SrIrO3 structure. This activation turns SrIrO3 into a highly disordered Ir octahedral network with Ir square-planar motif. The final Sr y IrO x exhibits a greater degree of disorder than IrO x made from other processing methods. Our results demonstrate that the structural reorganization facilitated by coupled ionic diffusions is essential to the disordered structure of the SrIrO3 electrocatalyst.

Crystal orientation dictated epitaxy of ultrawide-bandgap 5.4- to 8.6-eV α-(AlGa)2O3 on m-plane sapphire

Ultrawide-bandgap semiconductors are ushering in the next generation of high-power electronics. The correct crystal orientation can make or break successful epitaxy of such semiconductors. Here, it is found that single-crystalline layers of α-(AlGa)₂O₃ alloys spanning bandgaps of 5.4 to 8.6 eV can be grown by molecular beam epitaxy. The key step is found to be the use of m-plane sapphire crystal. The phase transition of the epitaxial layers from the α- to the narrower bandgap β-phase is catalyzed by the c-plane of the crystal. Because the c-plane is orthogonal to the growth front of the m-plane surface of the crystal, the narrower bandgap pathways are eliminated, revealing a route to much wider bandgap materials with structural purity. The resulting energy bandgaps of the epitaxial layers span a broad range, heralding the successful epitaxial stabilization of the largest bandgap materials family to date.

Effects of Anisotropic Strain on Spin-Orbit Torque Produced by the Dirac Nodal Line Semimetal IrO2

We report spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance studies of the efficiency of the damping-like (ξ_DL) spin-orbit torque exerted on an adjacent ferromagnet film by current flowing in epitaxial (001) and (110) IrO₂ thin films. IrO₂ possesses Dirac nodal lines (DNLs) in the band structure that are gapped by spin-orbit coupling, which could enable a very high spin Hall conductivity, σ_SH. We find that the (001) films do exhibit exceptionally high ξ_DL ranging from 0.45 at 293 K to 0.65 at 30 K, which sets the lower bounds of σ_SH to be 1.9 × 10⁵ and 3.75 × 10⁵ Ω^-1 m^-1, respectively, 10 times higher and of opposite sign than the theoretical prediction. Furthermore, ξ_DL and σ_SH are substantially reduced in anisotropically strained (110) films. We suggest that this high sensitivity to anisotropic strain is because of changes in contributions to σ_SH near the DNLs.

Breakdown of the Small-Polaron Hopping Model in Higher-Order Spinels

The small-polaron hopping model has been used for six decades to rationalize electronic charge transport in oxides. The model was developed for binary oxides, and, despite its significance, its accuracy has not been rigorously tested for higher-order oxides. Here, the small-polaron transport model is tested by using a spinel system with mixed cation oxidation states (Mn_x Fe_{3- x} O₄ ). Using molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE), a series of single crystal Mn_x Fe_{3- x} O₄ thin films with controlled stoichiometry, 0 ≤ x ≤ 2.3, and lattice strain are grown, and the cation site-occupation is determined through X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES). Density functional theory + U analysis shows that charge transport occurs only between like-cations (Fe/Fe or Mn/Mn). The site-occupation data and percolation models show that there are limited stoichiometric ranges for transport along Fe and Mn pathways. Furthermore, due to asymmetric hopping barriers and formation energies, the Mn O h 2 + polaron is energetically preferred to the Fe O h 2 + polaron, resulting in an asymmetric contribution of Mn/Mn pathways. All of these findings are not contained in the conventional small-polaron hopping model, highlighting its inadequacy. To correct the model, new parameters in the nearest-neighbor hopping equation are introduced to account for percolation, cross-hopping, and polaron-distribution, and it is found that a near-perfect correlation can be made between experiment and theory for the electronic conductivity.

Subterahertz Momentum Drag and Violation of Matthiessen's Rule in an Ultraclean Ferromagnetic SrRuO_{3} Metallic Thin Film

SrRuO_{3}, a ferromagnet with an approximately 160 K Curie temperature, exhibits a T^{2}-dependent dc resistivity below ≈30  K. Nevertheless, previous optical studies in the infrared and terahertz range show non-Drude dynamics at low temperatures, which seem to contradict Fermi-liquid predictions. In this work, we measure the low-frequency THz range response of thin films with residual resistivity ratios, ρ_{300K}/ρ_{4K}≈74. At temperatures below 30 K, we find both a sharp zero frequency mode which has a width narrower than k_{B}T/ℏ as well as a broader zero frequency Lorentzian that has at least an order of magnitude larger scattering. Both features have temperature dependences consistent with a Fermi liquid with the wider feature explicitly showing a T^{2} scaling. Above 30 K, there is a crossover to a regime described by a single Drude peak that we believe arises from strong interband electron-electron scattering. Such two channel Drude transport sheds light on reports of the violation of Matthiessen's rule and extreme sensitivity to disorder in metallic ruthenates.

Site-specific spectroscopic measurement of spin and charge in (LuFeO3)m/(LuFe2O4)1 multiferroic superlattices

Interface materials offer a means to achieve electrical control of ferrimagnetism at room temperature as was recently demonstrated in (LuFeO3)m/(LuFe2O4)1 superlattices. A challenge to understanding the inner workings of these complex magnetoelectric multiferroics is the multitude of distinct Fe centres and their associated environments. This is because macroscopic techniques characterize average responses rather than the role of individual iron centres. Here, we combine optical absorption, magnetic circular dichroism and first-principles calculations to uncover the origin of high-temperature magnetism in these superlattices and the charge-ordering pattern in the m = 3 member. In a significant conceptual advance, interface spectra establish how Lu-layer distortion selectively enhances the Fe2+ →  Fe3+ charge-transfer contribution in the spin-up channel, strengthens the exchange interactions and increases the Curie temperature. Comparison of predicted and measured spectra also identifies a non-polar charge ordering arrangement in the LuFe2O4 layer. This site-specific spectroscopic approach opens the door to understanding engineered materials with multiple metal centres and strong entanglement.

Directly measuring the structural transition pathways of strain-engineered VO2 thin films

Epitaxial films of vanadium dioxide (VO₂) on rutile TiO₂ substrates provide a means of strain-engineering the transition pathways and stabilizing of the intermediate phases between monoclinic (insulating) M1 and rutile (metal) R end phases. In this work, we investigate structural behavior of epitaxial VO₂ thin films deposited on isostructural MgF₂ (001) and (110) substrates via temperature-dependent Raman microscopy analysis. The choice of MgF₂ substrate clearly reveals how elongation of V-V dimers accompanied by the shortening of V-O bonds triggers the intermediate M2 phase in the temperature range between 70-80 °C upon the heating-cooling cycles. Consistent with earlier claims of strain-induced electron correlation enhancement destabilizing the M2 phase our temperature-dependent Raman study supports a small temperature window for this phase. The similarity of the hysteretic behavior of structural and electronic transitions suggests that the structural transitions play key roles in the switching properties of epitaxial VO₂ thin films.

Realization of Epitaxial Thin Films of the Topological Crystalline Insulator Sr3 SnO

Topological materials are derived from the interplay between symmetry and topology. Advances in topological band theories have led to the prediction that the antiperovskite oxide Sr₃ SnO is a topological crystalline insulator, a new electronic phase of matter where the conductivity in its (001) crystallographic planes is protected by crystallographic point group symmetries. Realization of this material, however, is challenging. Guided by thermodynamic calculations, a deposition approach is designed and implemented to achieve the adsorption-controlled growth of epitaxial Sr₃ SnO single-crystal films by molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE). In situ transport and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements reveal the metallic and electronic structure of the as-grown samples. Compared with conventional MBE, the used synthesis route results in superior sample quality and is readily adapted to other topological systems with antiperovskite structures. The successful realization of thin films of Sr₃ SnO opens opportunities to manipulate topological states by tuning symmetries via strain engineering and heterostructuring.

Local Photothermal Control of Phase Transitions for On-Demand Room-Temperature Rewritable Magnetic Patterning

The ability to make controlled patterns of magnetic structures within a nonmagnetic background is essential for several types of existing and proposed technologies. Such patterns provide the foundation of magnetic memory and logic devices, allow the creation of artificial spin-ice lattices, and enable the study of magnon propagation. Here, a novel approach for magnetic patterning that allows repeated creation and erasure of arbitrary shapes of thin-film ferromagnetic structures is reported. This strategy is enabled by epitaxial Fe_0.52 Rh_0.48 thin films designed so that both ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic phases are bistable at room temperature. Starting with the film in a uniform antiferromagnetic state, the ability to write arbitrary patterns of the ferromagnetic phase is demonstrated by local heating with a focused laser. If desired, the results can then be erased by cooling below room temperature and the material repeatedly re-patterned.

Mott gap collapse in lightly hole-doped Sr2-xKxIrO4

The evolution of Sr₂IrO₄ upon carrier doping has been a subject of intense interest, due to its similarities to the parent cuprates, yet the intrinsic behaviour of Sr₂IrO₄ upon hole doping remains enigmatic. Here, we synthesize and investigate hole-doped Sr_2-xK_xIrO₄ utilizing a combination of reactive oxide molecular-beam epitaxy, substitutional diffusion and in-situ angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. Upon hole doping, we observe the formation of a coherent, two-band Fermi surface, consisting of both hole pockets centred at (π, 0) and electron pockets centred at (π/2, π/2). In particular, the strong similarities between the Fermi surface topology and quasiparticle band structure of hole- and electron-doped Sr₂IrO₄ are striking given the different internal structure of doped electrons versus holes.

Simultaneous Structural and Electronic Transitions in Epitaxial VO_{2}/TiO_{2}(001)

Recent reports have identified new metaphases of VO_{2} with strain and/or doping, suggesting the structural phase transition and the metal-to-insulator transition might be decoupled. Using epitaxially strained VO_{2}/TiO_{2} (001) thin films, which display a bulklike abrupt metal-to-insulator transition and rutile to monoclinic transition structural phase transition, we employ x-ray standing waves combined with hard x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to simultaneously measure the structural and electronic transitions. This x-ray standing waves study elegantly demonstrates the structural and electronic transitions occur concurrently within experimental limits (±1  K).

Strain-Engineered Ferroelastic Structures in PbTiO3 Films and Their Control by Electric Fields

We study the interplay between epitaxial strain, film thickness, and electric field in the creation, modification, and design of distinct ferroelastic structures in PbTiO₃ thin films. Strain and thickness greatly affect the structures formed, providing a two-variable parameterization of the resulting self-assembly. Under applied electric fields, these strain-engineered ferroelastic structures are highly malleable, especially when a/c and a₁/a₂ superdomains coexist. To reconfigure the ferroelastic structures and achieve self-assembled nanoscale-ordered morphologies, pure ferroelectric switching of individual c-domains within the a/c superdomains is essential. The stability, however, of the electrically written ferroelastic structures is in most cases ephemeral; the speed of the relaxation process depends sensitively on strain and thickness. Only under low tensile strain-as is the case for PbTiO₃ on GdScO₃-and below a critical thickness do the electrically created a/c superdomain structures become stable for days or longer, making them relevant for reconfigurable nanoscale electronics or nonvolatile electromechanical applications.

The exit-wave power-cepstrum transform for scanning nanobeam electron diffraction: robust strain mapping at subnanometer resolution and subpicometer precision

Scanning nanobeam electron diffraction (NBED) with fast pixelated detectors is a valuable technique for rapid, spatially resolved mapping of lattice structure over a wide range of length scales. However, intensity variations caused by dynamical diffraction and sample mistilts can hinder the measurement of diffracted disk centers as necessary for quantification. Robust data processing techniques are needed to provide accurate and precise measurements for complex samples and non-ideal conditions. Here we present an approach to address these challenges using a transform, called the exit wave power cepstrum (EWPC), inspired by cepstral analysis in audio signal processing. The EWPC transforms NBED patterns into real-space patterns with sharp peaks corresponding to inter-atomic spacings. We describe a simple analytical model for interpretation of these patterns that cleanly decouples lattice information from the intensity variations in NBED patterns caused by tilt and thickness. By tracking the inter-atomic spacing peaks in EWPC patterns, strain mapping is demonstrated for two practical applications: mapping of ferroelectric domains in epitaxially strained PbTiO₃ films and mapping of strain profiles in arbitrarily oriented core-shell Pt-Co nanoparticle fuel-cell catalysts. The EWPC transform enables lattice structure measurement at sub-pm precision and sub-nm resolution that is robust to small sample mistilts and random orientations.

Enthalpy and entropy of oxygen electroadsorption on RuO2(110) in alkaline media

We report the temperature influence of the OH_ad and O_ad electroadsorption on RuO₂(110) films grown on TiO₂(110) crystals in alkaline media. From the temperature effect, we evaluate the enthalpy and entropy of the OH_ad and O_ad electroadsorption, including the adsorbate-adsorbate interactions that we analyze using the interaction parameters of the Frumkin-isotherm model. We found that the adsorbates repel each other enthalpically but attract each other entropically. Our result suggests that an entropy analysis is necessary to capture the electroadsorption behavior on RuO₂ since the enthalpy-entropy competition strongly influences the electroadsorption behavior. Our observation of an entropic force is consistent with the view that water may be a mediator for adsorbate-adsorbate interactions.

Targeted chemical pressure yields tuneable millimetre-wave dielectric

Epitaxial strain can unlock enhanced properties in oxide materials, but restricts substrate choice and maximum film thickness, above which lattice relaxation and property degradation occur. Here we employ a chemical alternative to epitaxial strain by providing targeted chemical pressure, distinct from random doping, to induce a ferroelectric instability with the strategic introduction of barium into today's best millimetre-wave tuneable dielectric, the epitaxially strained 50-nm-thick n = 6 (SrTiO₃)_nSrO Ruddlesden-Popper dielectric grown on (110) DyScO₃. The defect mitigating nature of (SrTiO₃)_nSrO results in unprecedented low loss at frequencies up to 125 GHz. No barium-containing Ruddlesden-Popper titanates are known, but the resulting atomically engineered superlattice material, (SrTiO₃)_n-m(BaTiO₃)_mSrO, enables low-loss, tuneable dielectric properties to be achieved with lower epitaxial strain and a 200% improvement in the figure of merit at commercially relevant millimetre-wave frequencies. As tuneable dielectrics are key constituents of emerging millimetre-wave high-frequency devices in telecommunications, our findings could lead to higher performance adaptive and reconfigurable electronics at these frequencies.

Light-Induced Currents at Domain Walls in Multiferroic BiFeO3

Multiferroic BiFeO₃ (BFO) films with spontaneously formed periodic stripe domains can generate above-gap open circuit voltages under visible light illumination; nevertheless the underlying mechanism behind this intriguing optoelectronic response has not been understood to date. Here, we make contact-free measurements of light-induced currents in epitaxial BFO films via detecting terahertz radiation emanated by these currents, enabling a direct probe of the intrinsic charge separation mechanisms along with quantitative measurements of the current amplitudes and their directions. In the periodic stripe samples, we find that the net photocurrent is dominated by the charge separation across the domain walls, whereas in the monodomain samples the photovoltaic response arises from a bulk shift current associated with the non-centrosymmetry of the crystal. The peak current amplitude driven by the charge separation at the domain walls is found to be 2 orders of magnitude higher than the bulk shift current response, indicating the prominent role of domain walls acting as nanoscale junctions to efficiently separate photogenerated charges in the stripe domain BFO films. These findings show that domain-wall-engineered BFO thin films offer exciting prospects for ferroelectric-based optoelectronics, as well as bias-free strong terahertz emitters.