Volume-wise destruction of the antiferromagnetic Mott insulating state through quantum tuning

Benjamin A. Frandsen, Lian Liu, Sky C. Cheung, Zurab Guguchia, Rustem Khasanov, Elvezio Morenzoni, Timothy J. S. Munsie, Alannah M. Hallas, Murray N. Wilson, Yipeng Cai, Graeme M. Luke, Bijuan Chen, Wenmin Li, Changqing Jin, Cui Ding, Shengli Guo, Fanlong Ning, Takashi U. Ito, Wataru Higemoto, Simon J. L. Billinge, Shoya Sakamoto, Atsushi Fujimori, Taito Murakami, Hiroshi Kageyama, Jose Antonio Alonso, Gabriel Kotliar, Masatoshi Imada and Yasutomo J. Uemura ()
Additional contact information
Benjamin A. Frandsen: Columbia University
Lian Liu: Columbia University
Sky C. Cheung: Columbia University
Zurab Guguchia: Laboratory for Muon Spin Spectroscopy, Paul Scherrer Institute
Rustem Khasanov: Laboratory for Muon Spin Spectroscopy, Paul Scherrer Institute
Elvezio Morenzoni: Laboratory for Muon Spin Spectroscopy, Paul Scherrer Institute
Timothy J. S. Munsie: McMaster University
Alannah M. Hallas: McMaster University
Murray N. Wilson: McMaster University
Yipeng Cai: McMaster University
Graeme M. Luke: McMaster University
Bijuan Chen: Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Wenmin Li: Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Changqing Jin: Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Cui Ding: Zhejiang University
Shengli Guo: Zhejiang University
Fanlong Ning: Zhejiang University
Takashi U. Ito: Advanced Science Research Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency
Wataru Higemoto: Advanced Science Research Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency
Simon J. L. Billinge: Columbia University
Shoya Sakamoto: University of Tokyo
Atsushi Fujimori: University of Tokyo
Taito Murakami: Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University
Hiroshi Kageyama: Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University
Jose Antonio Alonso: Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (ICMM), CSIC
Gabriel Kotliar: Brookhaven National Laboratory
Masatoshi Imada: University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo
Yasutomo J. Uemura: Columbia University

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract RENiO3 (RE=rare-earth element) and V2O3 are archetypal Mott insulator systems. When tuned by chemical substitution (RENiO3) or pressure (V2O3), they exhibit a quantum phase transition (QPT) between an antiferromagnetic Mott insulating state and a paramagnetic metallic state. Because novel physics often appears near a Mott QPT, the details of this transition, such as whether it is first or second order, are important. Here, we demonstrate through muon spin relaxation/rotation (μSR) experiments that the QPT in RENiO3 and V2O3 is first order: the magnetically ordered volume fraction decreases to zero at the QPT, resulting in a broad region of intrinsic phase separation, while the ordered magnetic moment retains its full value until it is suddenly destroyed at the QPT. These findings bring to light a surprising universality of the pressure-driven Mott transition, revealing the importance of phase separation and calling for further investigation into the nature of quantum fluctuations underlying the transition.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12519

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