Correlated Electron Systems with Strong Spin-orbit Coupling

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NONTECHNICAL SUMMARYThis award supports theoretical research and education to predict interesting new phases of electronic matter. The electronic and magnetic properties of materials underpin many modern technologies. Understanding materials that present unusual electronic states helps to lay the knowledge foundation for new technologies, in this case new electronic devices and possibly devices that can exploit not only the charge but also the spin of the electron for their operation. Spin is an intrinsic quantum mechanical property of an electron; the electron can be loosely thought of as spinning. The PI aims to explore materials in which the electron's spin interacts strongly with its motion while at the same time electrons interact strongly with each other giving rise to correlations in their motion. Materials that combine both strong electron correlations and strong spin-orbit coupling present opportunities for the discovery of new states of matter. The PI aims to study such materials with an eye towards predicting unusual properties and phases that may appear. A graduate student will receive training in theoretical condensed matter and materials physics through this project, and the PI will engage in outreach activities to the general public and high school students, including historically underrepresented groups in physics, notably women and Hispanics.TECHNICAL SUMMARYThis award supports theoretical research and education on materials with strong electronic correlations and strong spin-orbit coupling. The main goals of this project are to: (i) Make specific material predictions for topological phases with correlations, (ii) Study the two-dimensional to three-dimensional crossover in correlated thin-film systems with strong spin-orbit coupling, and (iii) Investigate the physics of light-matter interaction, such as when a correlated thin-film with strong spin-orbit coupling is placed in a photonic waveguide or microcavity. The PI will focus on transition metal oxides with heavy transition metal ions, such as those from the 4d and 5d series. Electronic correlations in some of these materials may be intermediate between highly correlated and weakly correlated. A variety of techniques will be used including: exact diagonalization, first principles methods, and density functional theory combined with dynamical mean field theory.A graduate student will receive training in theoretical condensed matter and materials physics through this project, and the PI will engage in outreach activities to the general public and high school students, including historically underrepresented groups in physics, notably women and Hispanics.