TY - JOUR
T1 - Spin-orbit tuned metal-insulator transitions in single-crystal Sr 2Ir1-xRhxO4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.16)
AU - Qi, T. F.
AU - Korneta, O. B.
AU - Li, L.
AU - Butrouna, K.
AU - Cao, V. S.
AU - Wan, Xiangang
AU - Schlottmann, P.
AU - Kaul, R. K.
AU - Cao, G.
PY - 2012/9/6
Y1 - 2012/9/6
N2 - Sr2IrO4 is a magnetic insulator driven by spin-orbit interaction (SOI) whereas the isoelectronic and isostructural Sr 2RhO4 is a paramagnetic metal. The contrasting ground states have been shown to result from the critical role of the strong SOI in the iridate. Our investigation of structural, transport, magnetic, and thermal properties reveals that substituting 4d Rh4+ (4d5) ions for 5d Ir4+ (5d5) ions in Sr2IrO4 directly reduces the SOI and rebalances the competing energies so profoundly that it generates a rich phase diagram for Sr2Ir1-xRhxO4 featuring two major effects: (1) Light Rh doping (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.16) prompts a simultaneous and precipitous drop in both the electrical resistivity and the magnetic ordering temperature TC, which is suppressed to zero at x = 0.16 from 240 K at x = 0. (2) However, with heavier Rh doping [0.24 < x < 0.85 (±0.05)] disorder scattering leads to localized states and a return to an insulating state with spin frustration and exotic magnetic behavior that only disappears near x = 1. The intricacy of Sr2Ir 1-xRhxO4 is further highlighted by comparison with Sr2Ir1-xRuxO4 where Ru4 + (4d4) drives a direct crossover from the insulating to metallic states.
AB - Sr2IrO4 is a magnetic insulator driven by spin-orbit interaction (SOI) whereas the isoelectronic and isostructural Sr 2RhO4 is a paramagnetic metal. The contrasting ground states have been shown to result from the critical role of the strong SOI in the iridate. Our investigation of structural, transport, magnetic, and thermal properties reveals that substituting 4d Rh4+ (4d5) ions for 5d Ir4+ (5d5) ions in Sr2IrO4 directly reduces the SOI and rebalances the competing energies so profoundly that it generates a rich phase diagram for Sr2Ir1-xRhxO4 featuring two major effects: (1) Light Rh doping (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.16) prompts a simultaneous and precipitous drop in both the electrical resistivity and the magnetic ordering temperature TC, which is suppressed to zero at x = 0.16 from 240 K at x = 0. (2) However, with heavier Rh doping [0.24 < x < 0.85 (±0.05)] disorder scattering leads to localized states and a return to an insulating state with spin frustration and exotic magnetic behavior that only disappears near x = 1. The intricacy of Sr2Ir 1-xRhxO4 is further highlighted by comparison with Sr2Ir1-xRuxO4 where Ru4 + (4d4) drives a direct crossover from the insulating to metallic states.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84866391525&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84866391525&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevB.86.125105
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevB.86.125105
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84866391525
SN - 1098-0121
VL - 86
JO - Physical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
JF - Physical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
IS - 12
M1 - 125105
ER -