Probing ultrafast dynamics of 5f electrons in crystalline UO2
- Los Alamos National Laboratory
The electronic structure and ultrafast dynamics of photoexcited carriers of Mott insulators attracts considerable attention in modern condensed matter physics. Cubic structured UO{sub 2} is a model system for understanding the physics of strongly correlated electrons in Mott insulators. Its 5f electrons may produce special electronic states and dynamics because of their complex nature. It shows an anti ferromagnetic transition at T{sub N} = 30.8 K. Several recent theoretical works have predicted the ground states and Mott characteristics of crystalline UO{sub 2}. It is believed that the band gap of UO{sub 2} is on the order of {approx} 2 eV and excitations across the gap are of the f-f character. We have performed ultrafast optical studies of carrier dynamics related to the Mott gap and its Hubbard bands with femtosecond pump-probe transient reflection measurements. From pump-probe reflectance measurements, we find the lifetimes of photoexcited 5f electrons in crystalline UO{sub 2}, {approx} 1.2 ns for midgap states and {approx} 2 {mu}s for upper Hubbard band states at low temperatures, and identify magnetic transitions.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC52-06NA25396
- OSTI ID:
- 1024360
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-10-01837; LA-UR-10-1837; TRN: US201119%%322
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 17th International Conference on Ultrafast Phenomena (UP) ; July 18, 2010 ; Snowmass Village, CO
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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