Surface and Bulk Properties of Layered Transition-Metal Compounds: Manifestations of Broken Symmetry

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NONTECHNICAL ABSRTACTThis award from the Condensed Matter Physics Program of the Division of Materials Research supports experimental condensed-matter physics research on new class of materials that are relevant to future energy applications and advanced electronic devices. This class of materials, complex transition metal compounds, exhibit new physical properties that cannot be understood with traditional approaches. The complementary expertise of two scientists, one on surface (one atomic layer) and the other on bulk, will allow us to explore the fundamental physics underlying the emergent phenomena seen in both surface and bulk. Creating a surface allows this team to explore the manifestations of broken symmetry on this new class of materials. Our ultimate goal is to address one of the grand challenges of materials science: how do complex phenomena emerge from simple ingredients? Through combined effort of two scientists, this research project offers an ideal training ground for undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and visiting scholars, exposing them in frontier scientific research. In particular, Ph.D. students, supported through this project, will have hands-on experience in state-of-the-art instrumentation, and be trained for careers either in academia, national laboratories, or industries.TECHNICAL ABSRTACTThis research project, supported by Condensed Matter Physics Program of the Division of Materials Research is designed to study the surface and bulk physical properties of newly discovered transition-metal layered compounds. This class of materials exhibit strong coupling between charge, spin, lattice and orbital. Their physical properties are extremely susceptible to a subtle change either internally (chemical doping), or externally such as magnetic field or pressure. Creating a surface by cleaving these layer-materials is an ideal way to distort the delicate balance in the bulk, and explore the manifestations of broken symmetry. The complementary expertise of two scientists, one on surface and the other on bulk, will allow us to explore the fundamental physics underlying the emergent phenomena in this class of materials. The ultimate goal is to address one of the grand challenges of materials science: how do complex phenomena emerge from simple ingredients? Through combined effort of two scientists, this research project offers an ideal training ground for undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and visiting scholars, exposing them in frontier scientific research. In particular, Ph.D. students, supported through this project, will have hands-on experience in state-of-the-art instrumentation, and be trained for careers either in academia, national laboratories, or industries. Both of the principal investigators have been hosting students from Louisiana high schools, LSU through the "Chancellor's Future Leaders in Research" program, and NSF supported REU program.