Magnetic excitations in infinite-layer nickelates

DOI: 10.1126/science.abd7726

Authors: H. Lu (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory; Stanford University) , M. Rossi (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory; Stanford University) , A. Nag (Diamond Light Source) , M. Osada (Stanford University) , D. F. Li (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory; Stanford University) , K. Lee (Stanford University) , B. Y. Wang (Stanford University) , M. Garcia-Fernandez (Diamond Light Source) , S. Agrestini (Diamond Light Source) , Z. X. Shen (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory; Stanford University) , E. M. Been (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory; Stanford University) , B. Moritz (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory; Stanford University) , T. P. Devereaux (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory; Stanford University) , J. Zaanen (Leiden University) , H. Y. Hwang (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory; Stanford University) , K.-J. Zhou (Diamond Light Source) , W.-S. Lee (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory)
Co-authored by industrial partner: No

Type: Journal Paper
Journal: Science , VOL 373 , PAGES 213 - 216

State: Published (Approved)
Published: July 2021
Diamond Proposal Number(s): 25165

Abstract: The discovery of superconductivity in infinite-layer nickelates brings us tantalizingly close to a material class that mirrors the cuprate superconductors. We measured the magnetic excitations in these nickelates using resonant inelastic x-ray scattering at the Ni L3-edge. Undoped NdNiO2 possesses a branch of dispersive excitations with a bandwidth of approximately 200 milli–electron volts, which is reminiscent of the spin wave of strongly coupled, antiferromagnetically aligned spins on a square lattice. The substantial damping of these modes indicates the importance of coupling to rare-earth itinerant electrons. Upon doping, the spectral weight and energy decrease slightly, whereas the modes become overdamped. Our results highlight the role of Mottness in infinite-layer nickelates.

Subject Areas: Materials, Physics


Instruments: I21-Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering (RIXS)

Added On: 09/07/2021 14:19

Discipline Tags:

Superconductors Quantum Materials Hard condensed matter - electronic properties Physics Magnetism Materials Science

Technical Tags:

Scattering Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering (RIXS)