Abrupt structural transition in V 2 O 3 revealed by pair distribution function analysis

ORAL

Abstract

V$_{\mathrm{2}}$O$_{\mathrm{3}}$ is a popular system for studying Mott insulators, which are materials that are driven into an insulating state by strong electron correlations. Despite decades of research, a complete understanding of the metal-insulator transition in V$_{\mathrm{2}}$O$_{\mathrm{3}}$ has not been conclusively established. Here, we present comprehensive atomic and magnetic pair distribution function (PDF) analyses of V$_{\mathrm{2}}$O$_{\mathrm{3}}$ using both x-ray and neutron total scattering measurements, shedding new light on the mechanism of the transition from the point of view of short-range structural and magnetic correlations on both sides of the transition. We observe an abrupt structural transition with no hint of short-range monoclinic distortions above the transition temperature. This lack of structural fluctuations above the transition contrasts with the known presence of magnetic fluctuations in the high-temperature state, suggesting that the lattice degree of freedom plays a secondary role behind the spin degree of freedom in the transition mechanism.

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Authors

  • Ethan Fletcher

    Brigham Young University-Provo

  • Benjamin Frandsen

    Brigham Young University-Provo, BYU, Brigham Young University

  • Barry Ritchie

    University of New Mexico, Ion Linac Systems, Tech-X Corporation, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Brigham Young University, Brigham Young University - Provo, United States Air Force Academy, university of Michigan, SISSA, Trieste, Stanford University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Grinnell College, Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Brookhaven National Laboratory, University of Southern California, Argonne National Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of New Mexico, Lock Haven University, Illinois State University, Department of Physics, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, 84322, Department of Physics, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003, USA, Department of Materials, Devices, and Energy Technologies, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185, USA, Kyoto University, University of Guadalajara, University of Florida, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Air Force Research Laboratory, Space Vehicles Directorate, Assurance Technology Corporation, Carlisle, MA, Georgia Tech Research Institute, Atlanta, GA, Utah State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Arizona State University, Department of Physics, United States Air Force Academy, 80840 USAFA, CO, USA, Shaffer Consulting Inc, Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics, Harvard University, Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics, Albert Einstein Institute, ASU

  • Barry Ritchie

    University of New Mexico, Ion Linac Systems, Tech-X Corporation, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Brigham Young University, Brigham Young University - Provo, United States Air Force Academy, university of Michigan, SISSA, Trieste, Stanford University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Grinnell College, Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Brookhaven National Laboratory, University of Southern California, Argonne National Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of New Mexico, Lock Haven University, Illinois State University, Department of Physics, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, 84322, Department of Physics, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003, USA, Department of Materials, Devices, and Energy Technologies, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185, USA, Kyoto University, University of Guadalajara, University of Florida, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Air Force Research Laboratory, Space Vehicles Directorate, Assurance Technology Corporation, Carlisle, MA, Georgia Tech Research Institute, Atlanta, GA, Utah State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Arizona State University, Department of Physics, United States Air Force Academy, 80840 USAFA, CO, USA, Shaffer Consulting Inc, Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics, Harvard University, Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics, Albert Einstein Institute, ASU