Probing Intertwined Order in Quantum Materials

探索量子材料中相互交织的秩序

• 批准号: RGPIN-2018-04493
• 负责人: Hawthorn, David
• 金额: $ 3.72万
• 依托单位: University of Waterloo
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=713080
• 关键词: Probing; Intertwined; Order; Quantum; Materials

In the future, paradigm-shifting technologies are likely to rely on artificially synthesized materials that exhibit intertwined electronic phases, such as superconductivity, magnetism and charge density wave order (a stripe-like accumulation of charge). Understanding the how such phases compete, co-exist and sometimes co-operate is of general and fundamental interest to a wide range of quantum materials and to unlocking their technological potential. Tackling the problem of intertwined order has proven enormously difficult experimentally and theoretically. The challenges lie in the fact that the community is currently lacking in probes that can measure the different types of intertwined order and their relationship. One technique that has proven promising for understanding intertwined order in quantum materials is resonant x-ray scattering and reflectometry. With resonant x-ray scattering and reflectometry, the x-ray energy and the polarization of the x-ray beam can be made sensitive to differentiate elements and to different types of order (magnetic, lattice, charge, orbital), making it ideally suited for studying intertwined order in quantum materials. My research group is well positioned to take a leading role in this effort, having developed both the expertise and instrumentation for resonant x-ray scattering. My team and I will utilize this technique to explore intertwined order high temperature superconductors and thin films of quantum materials, where the effects of intertwined order are central to the fundamental physics and to applications of these materials. In high temperature superconductors, we will develop new techniques to elucidate the relationship between superconductivity, charge density wave order and nematicity, an unusual breaking of the symmetry of the electrons orbital. These measurements will provide insight into what sets the superconducting transition temperature and may open the door to new routes to optimize it. In related experiments on thin films of quantum materials, the interface between materials can be used to tune a quantum phase in one material, such as magnetism or superconductivity, via proximity to quantum phase in another material. My team and I will use resonant x-ray reflectometry as a powerful tool to probe such interfaces, providing unprecedented, atomic layer sensitivity to the electrons spin, charge and orbital symmetry, capabilities that we will exploit to study topological materials, spintronics and magnetism in thin films. The grand vision will be to establish generic tools to study and exploit intertwined order in a wide range of quantum materials. The students and post-docs in my team will receive highly sought after training in a world-class research environment. Leveraging our recent efforts and present technical advantages, the timing is perfect for my research team and I to make significant contributions in this area.

在未来，范式转换技术可能依赖于人工合成的材料，这些材料表现出相互交织的电子相，如超导、磁性和电荷密度波序(电荷的条状积累)。了解这些阶段是如何竞争、共存，有时是合作的，对于广泛的量子材料和释放它们的技术潜力具有普遍和根本的兴趣。 事实证明，解决相互交织的秩序问题在实验和理论上都非常困难。挑战在于，社区目前缺乏能够衡量不同类型相互交织的秩序及其关系的探测器。一种被证明有希望理解量子材料中相互缠绕的有序性的技术是共振x射线散射和反射测量。利用共振x射线散射和反射测量，可以使x射线能量和x射线束的偏振对区分元素和不同类型的有序(磁、晶格、电荷、轨道)敏感，使其非常适合于研究量子材料中的相互交织的有序。 我的研究小组已经开发了共振X射线散射的专业知识和仪器，完全有能力在这项工作中发挥主导作用。我和我的团队将利用这项技术来探索交织有序的高温超导体和量子材料的薄膜，其中交织有序的影响是基础物理和这些材料应用的核心。在高温超导体中，我们将发展新的技术来阐明超导、电荷密度波序和向列性之间的关系，向列性是电子轨道对称性的一种不寻常的破坏。这些测量将提供对超导转变温度的设置的洞察，并可能打开优化超导转变温度的新途径的大门。在有关量子材料薄膜的相关实验中，材料之间的界面可以通过接近另一种材料中的量子相来调节一种材料中的量子相，如磁性或超导。我和我的团队将使用共振x射线反射仪作为探测此类界面的强大工具，为电子的自旋、电荷和轨道对称性提供前所未有的原子层敏感性，我们将利用这些能力来研究拓扑材料、自旋电子学和薄膜中的磁性。宏伟的愿景将是建立通用工具，以研究和利用广泛的量子材料中相互交织的秩序。 我团队中的学生和博士后将在世界级的研究环境中接受备受欢迎的培训。利用我们最近的努力和目前的技术优势，这是我和我的研究团队在这一领域做出重大贡献的完美时机。