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Title: Orbital control of metal-to-insulator transition in high-entropy nickelates

Journal Article · · Physical Review Materials
 [1];  [2]; ORCiD logo [2];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [5]; ORCiD logo [7]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China)
  2. Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing (China)
  3. Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing (China); China University of Geosciences (Beijing) (CUGB), (China)
  4. Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing (China). Inst. of High Energy Physics (IHEP)
  5. Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China); Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Guangdong (China)
  6. Tsinghua Univ., Beijing (China)
  7. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

High-entropy materials have emerged as a promising platform for exploring unique electronic and structural properties. In this study, we investigated the orbital control of the metal-to-insulator transition in thin films of high-entropy nickelates, which are composed of five rare-earth elements in equi-atomic concentrations. By manipulating the levels of misfit strain through substrate choice and film thickness, we modulated the electronic properties and examined the intricate interplay between strain, orbital interactions, and the metal-to-insulator transition. Compared to other nickelates thin films like NdNi O3 and SmNi O3, thin films of high-entropy nickelates exhibited remarkable resilience in maintaining control over their transport properties and orbital polarization, even in the presence of considerable A-site disorder. Further, this finding suggests that the electronic properties of A-site disordered high-entropy nickelates are still governed by the electronic bandwidth, primarily influenced by the Ni-O bonding geometry. This study provides valuable insights into the complex interplay among composition, structure, and electronic properties in perovskite oxides. These insights have the potential to guide the development of perovskite oxide materials with tailored electronic properties for a wide range of applications.

Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Materials Sciences & Engineering Division (MSE)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
2339615
Report Number(s):
PNNL-SA--186623
Journal Information:
Physical Review Materials, Journal Name: Physical Review Materials Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 7; ISSN 2475-9953
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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