Quest for quantum states via field-altering technology

• Published in: npj quantum materials 2020-11, Vol.5 (1), Article 83
• Main Authors: Cao, Gang, Zhao, Hengdi, Hu, Bing, Pellatz, Nicholas, Reznik, Dmitry, Schlottmann, Pedro, Kimchi, Itamar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 639/301; 639/766; Condensed Matter Physics; Crystal growth; Crystal structure; Crystals; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Quantum phenomena; Quantum Physics; Single crystals; Structural Materials; Surfaces and Interfaces; Thin Films; Transition metal oxides
• ISSN: 2397-4648; 2397-4648
• DOI: 10.1038/s41535-020-00286-2

We report quantum phenomena in spin-orbit-coupled single crystals that are synthesized using an innovative technology that “field-alters” crystal structures via application of magnetic field during crystal growth. This study addresses a major challenge facing the research community today: A great deal of theoretical work predicting exotic states for strongly spin-orbit-coupled, correlated materials has thus far met very limited experimental confirmation. These conspicuous discrepancies are due in part to the extreme sensitivity of these materials to structural distortions. The results presented here demonstrate that the field-altered materials not only are much less distorted but also exhibit phenomena absent in their non-altered counterparts. The field-altered materials include an array of 4d and 5d transition metal oxides, and three representative materials presented here are Ba 4 Ir 3 O 10 , Ca 2 RuO 4 , and Sr 2 IrO 4 . This study provides an approach for discovery of quantum states and materials otherwise unavailable.