Nano-Resolved Current-Induced Insulator-Metal Transition in the Mott Insulator Ca 2 RuO 4

Zhang, Jiawei; McLeod, Alexander S.; Han, Qiang; Chen, Xinzhong; Bechtel, Hans A.; Yao, Ziheng; Gilbert Corder, S. N.; Ciavatti, Thomas; Tao, Tiger H.; Aronson, Meigan; Carr, G. L.; Martin, Michael C.; Sow, Chanchal; Yonezawa, Shingo; Nakamura, Fumihiko; Terasaki, Ichiro; Basov, D. N.; Millis, Andrew J.; Maeno, Yoshiteru; Liu, Mengkun

doi:10.1103/PhysRevX.9.011032

Title: Nano-Resolved Current-Induced Insulator-Metal Transition in the Mott Insulator ${Ca}_{2} {RuO}_{4}$

Journal Article · Fri Feb 15 00:00:00 EST 2019 · Physical Review. X

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevX.9.011032· OSTI ID:1494869

Zhang, Jiawei; McLeod, Alexander S.; Han, Qiang; Chen, Xinzhong; Bechtel, Hans A.; Yao, Ziheng; Gilbert Corder, S. N.; Ciavatti, Thomas; Tao, Tiger H.; Aronson, Meigan; Carr, G. L.; Martin, Michael C.; Sow, Chanchal; Yonezawa, Shingo; Nakamura, Fumihiko; Terasaki, Ichiro; Basov, D. N.; Millis, Andrew J.; Maeno, Yoshiteru; Liu, Mengkun

The Mott insulator Ca₂RuO₄ is the subject of much recent attention following reports of emergent nonequilibrium steady states driven by applied electric fields or currents. In this paper, we carry out infrared nano-imaging and optical-microscopy measurements on bulk single crystal Ca₂RuO₄ under conditions of steady current flow to obtain insight into the current-driven insulator-tometal transition. We observe macroscopic growth of the current-induced metallic phase, with nucleation regions for metal and insulator phases determined by the polarity of the current flow. A remarkable metal-insulator-metal microstripe pattern is observed at the phase front separating metal and insulator phases. The microstripes have orientations tied uniquely to the crystallographic axes, implying a strong coupling of the electronic transition to lattice degrees of freedom. Theoretical modeling further illustrates the importance of the current density and confirms a submicron-thick surface metallic layer at the phase front of the bulk metallic phase. Our work confirms that the electrically induced metallic phase is nonfilamentary and is not driven by Joule heating, revealing remarkable new characteristics of electrically induced insulator-metal transitions occurring in functional correlated oxides.

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Research Organization:: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-05CH11231; SC0012704; SC0012375

OSTI ID:: 1494869

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1496044

Journal Information:: Physical Review. X, Journal Name: Physical Review. X Vol. 9 Journal Issue: 1; ISSN 2160-3308

Publisher:: American Physical SocietyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 44 works

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