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Spectroscopic Studies on the Metal–Insulator Transition Mechanism in Correlated Materials
Author(s) -
Kim So Yeun,
Lee MinCheol,
Han Garam,
Kratochvilova Marie,
Yun Seokhwan,
Moon Soon Jae,
Sohn Changhee,
Park JeGeun,
Kim Changyoung,
Noh Tae Won
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.201704777
Subject(s) - materials science , transition metal , metal–insulator transition , mott transition , transition point , nanotechnology , condensed matter physics , chemical physics , metal , physics , superconductivity , chemistry , thermodynamics , biochemistry , metallurgy , hubbard model , catalysis
Abstract The metal–insulator transition (MIT) in correlated materials is a novel phenomenon that accompanies a large change in resistivity, often many orders of magnitude. It is important in its own right but its switching behavior in resistivity can be useful for device applications. From the material physics point of view, the starting point of the research on the MIT should be to understand the microscopic mechanism. Here, an overview of recent efforts to unravel the microscopic mechanisms for various types of MITs in correlated materials is provided. Research has focused on transition metal oxides (TMOs), but transition metal chalcogenides have also been studied. Along the way, a new class of MIT materials is discovered, the so‐called relativistic Mott insulators in 5d TMOs. Distortions in the MO 6 (M = transition metal) octahedron are found to have a large and peculiar effect on the band structure in an orbital dependent way, possibly paving a way to the orbital selective Mott transition. In the final section, the character of the materials suitable for applications is summarized, followed by a brief discussion of some of the efforts to control MITs in correlated materials, including a dynamical approach using light.