Manifestations of Broken Symmetry in Transition-Metal Layered Compounds: Surface vs. Bulk Properties

*非技术摘要*该奖项支持对一类与未来能源应用和先进电子设备相关的新材料进行的凝聚态物理实验研究。这类材料展示了用传统观念无法理解的新的物理性质。利用研究人员的互补专业知识，该项目将利用最复杂的生长和表征技术，探索新出现的现象背后的基本物理，无论是表面上还是整体上。任何设备应用都将利用表面或界面的属性。最终目标是解决材料科学的一个重大挑战：如何从简单的成分中出现复杂的现象？该研究项目为本科生、研究生、博士后和访问学者提供了一个理想的培训场所，使他们接触到前沿科学研究。特别是两名博士生，通过这个项目的支持，将获得最先进的仪器设备的实践经验，并将接受良好的培训，为未来的职业生涯，无论是在学术界，国家实验室，或工业。此外，本科生是“校长未来的研究领导者”，他们将在本科任期内参与这个项目。*技术摘要*这个研究项目旨在研究新发现的过渡金属层状化合物的表面和整体物理性质。这类材料在电荷、自旋、晶格和轨道自由度之间具有明显的强耦合。这些材料的物理性质非常容易受到内部(化学掺杂)或外部的细微变化的影响，例如表面的创建，或磁场或压力的应用。利用研究人员的互补专业知识，这个项目将探索在整体上或在表面产生的对称破裂环境中看到的紧急现象背后的基本物理学。研究和教育培训将利用最先进的技术进行生长和表征(在原子尺度上)。最终目标是解决材料科学的一个重大挑战：如何从简单的成分中出现复杂的现象？通过这个项目，两名博士生将拥有前沿科学研究的实践经验，并在学术界、国家实验室或行业接受良好的职业培训。该项目还将包括两名或更多在路易斯安那州立大学读本科的两名或更多“总理未来研究领袖”本科生。

****NON-TECHNICAL ABSTRACT****This award supports experimental condensed-matter physics research on a new class of materials that are relevant to future energy applications and advanced electronic devices. This class of materials exhibits new physical properties that cannot be understood with traditional ideas. Using the complementary expertise of the investigators, this project will explore the fundamental physics underlying the new emergent phenomena, both at the surface and in the bulk, utilizing the most sophisticated growth and characterization techniques. Any device application will utilize the properties of surfaces or interfaces. The ultimate goal is to address one of the grand challenges of materials science: how do complex phenomena emerge from simple ingredients? This research project offers an ideal training ground for undergraduate and graduate students, post docs, and visiting scholars, exposing them in frontier scientific research. In particular, two PhD students, supported through this project, will obtain hands-on experience in state-of-the-art instrumentation, and will be well trained for future careers either in academia, national laboratories, or industries. In addition undergraduate students, who are "Chancellor's Future Leaders in Research," will spend several years during their undergraduate tenure involved with this project.****TECHNICAL ABSTRACT****This research project is designed to study the surface and bulk physical properties of newly discovered transition-metal layered compounds. This class of materials has characteristically strong coupling between charge, spin, lattice, and orbital degrees of freedom. The physical properties of these materials are extremely susceptible to a subtle change either internally (chemical doping), or externally such as the creation of a surface, or the application of a magnetic field or pressure. Using the complementary expertise of the investigators, this project will explore the fundamental physics underlying the emergent phenomena seen in the bulk or in the environment of broken symmetry generated by the creation of a surface. Research and educational training will utilize the most sophisticated techniques for growth and characterization (on at atomic scale). The ultimate goal is to address one of the grand challenges of materials science: how do complex phenomena emerge from simple ingredients? Two PhD students, supported through this project, will have hands-on experience in frontier scientific research, and be well trained for careers either in academia, national laboratories, or industries. The project will also involve two or more "Chancellor's Future Leaders in Research" undergraduate students during their four years as undergraduates at LSU.