Speed limit of the insulator-metal transition in magnetite
De Jong S, Kukreja R, Trabant C, Pontius N, Chang CF, Kachel T, Beye M, Sorgenfrei F, Back CH, Braeuer B, Schlotter WF, Turner JJ, Krupin O, Doehler M, Zhu D, Hossain MA, Scherz AO, Fausti D, Novelli F, Esposito M, Lee WS, Chuang YD, Lu DH, Moore RG, Yi M, Trigo M, Kirchmann PS, Pathey L, Golden MS, Buchholz M, Metcalf P, Parmigiani F, Wurth W, Foehlisch A, Schuessler-Langeheine C, Duerr HA (2013)
Publication Type: Journal article, Review article
Publication year: 2013
Journal
Book Volume: 12
Pages Range: 882-886
Journal Issue: 10
DOI: 10.1038/nmat3718
Abstract
As the oldest known magnetic material, magnetite (Fe 3 O 4) has fascinated mankind for millennia. As the first oxide in which a relationship between electrical conductivity and fluctuating/localized electronic order was shown, magnetite represents a model system for understanding correlated oxides in general. Nevertheless, the exact mechanism of the insulator-metal, or Verwey, transition has long remained inaccessible. Recently, three-Fe-site lattice distortions called trimerons were identified as the characteristic building blocks of the lowerature insulating electronically ordered phase. Here we investigate the Verwey transition with pump-probe X-ray diffraction and optical reflectivity techniques, and show how trimerons become mobile across the insulator-metal transition. We find this to be a two-step process. After an initial 300 fs destruction of individual trimerons, phase separation occurs on a 1.5±0.2 ps timescale to yield residual insulating and metallic regions. This work establishes the speed limit for switching in future oxide electronics. © 2013 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.
Authors with CRIS profile
Involved external institutions
Stanford National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC)
United States (USA) (US)
Universität zu Köln
Germany (DE)
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie (HZB)
Germany (DE)
Università degli Studi di Trieste
Italy (IT)
Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A.
Italy (IT)
Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI)
Switzerland (CH)
Purdue-University
United States (USA) (US)
Universität Hamburg (UHH)
Germany (DE)
University of California, Berkeley
United States (USA) (US)
United States (USA) (US)
Universität zu Köln
Germany (DE)
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie (HZB)
Germany (DE)
Università degli Studi di Trieste
Italy (IT)
Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A.
Italy (IT)
Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI)
Switzerland (CH)
Purdue-University
United States (USA) (US)
Universität Hamburg (UHH)
Germany (DE)
University of California, Berkeley
United States (USA) (US)
How to cite
APA:
De Jong, S., Kukreja, R., Trabant, C., Pontius, N., Chang, C.F., Kachel, T.,... Duerr, H.A. (2013). Speed limit of the insulator-metal transition in magnetite. Nature Materials, 12(10), 882-886. https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nmat3718
MLA:
De Jong, S., et al. "Speed limit of the insulator-metal transition in magnetite." Nature Materials 12.10 (2013): 882-886.
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