Mott Physics in the Strong Spin-Orbit Coupling Regime

Dr. B.J.Kim, Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research

Jan. 11 (Mon), 16:00 E6-2. 1st fl. #1323

Competing interactions in transition metal oxides (TMO) lead to a wide array of charge, spin, and orbital ordered states, which are intimately related to many of the fascinating properties hosted by TMOs such as high-TC superconductivity and colossal magnetoresistance. The Mott physics has been studied extensively for many decades, and now much is understood within the framework of Goodenough-Kanamori-Anderson. In recent years, however, it has been shown that strong relativistic spin-orbit coupling in 5d TMOs leads to a novel class of Mott physics beyond the standard picture. Exotic spin-orbit entangled electronic structures enable novel expressions of magnetic interactions and emergent phenomena associated with them. Examples include a 5d TMO analog of cuprate high-temperature superconductors (Sr2IrO4), bond-directional magnetic interactions relevant for Kitaev frustrated magnetism (Na2IrO3), and soft magnetism characterized by a Higgs amplitude mode (Ca2RuO4). In this talk, I will overview some of the recent experimental results from resonant x-ray scattering, inelastic neutron scattering, and angle-resolve photoemission studies.

Contact: Prof. Jhinhwan Lee, Physics Dept. (T.2512)