Manifestations of Broken Symmetry: The Surface Phases of Ca2-xSrxRuO4

The surface structural phases of Ca2-xSrxRuO4 are investigated using quantitative low energy electron diffraction. The broken symmetry at the surface enhances the structural instability against the RuO6 rotational distortion while diminishing the instability against the RuO6 tilt distortion occurrin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review letters 2008, Vol.100 (6), p.066102
Main Authors: Moore, R. G., Nascimento, V. B., Zhang, J., Rundgren, J., Jin, R., Mandrus, David, Plummer, E. W.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Engineering physics
TECHNOLOGY
TEKNIKVETENSKAP
Teknisk fysik
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Summary:The surface structural phases of Ca2-xSrxRuO4 are investigated using quantitative low energy electron diffraction. The broken symmetry at the surface enhances the structural instability against the RuO6 rotational distortion while diminishing the instability against the RuO6 tilt distortion occurring within the bulk crystal. As a result, suppressed structural and electronic surface phase transition temperatures are observed, including the appearance of an inherent Mott metal-to-insulator transition for x=0.1 and possible modifications of the surface quantum critical point near x(c)similar to 0.5.
ISSN:0031-9007
1079-7114
1079-7114
DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.100.066102