Multi-messenger nano-probes of hidden magnetism in a strained manganite
| Autor: | McLeod, A. S., Zhang, J., Gu, M. Q., Jin, F., Zhang, G., Post, K. W., Zhao, X. G., Millis, A. J., Wu, W., Rondinelli, J. M., Averitt, R. D., Basov, D. N. |
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| Rok vydání: | 2019 |
| Předmět: | |
| Druh dokumentu: | Working Paper |
| DOI: | 10.1038/s41563-019-0533-y |
| Popis: | The ground state properties of correlated electron systems can be extraordinarily sensitive to external stimuli, such as temperature, strain, and electromagnetic fields, offering abundant platforms for functional materials. We present a metastable and reversible photoinduced ferromagnetic transition in strained films of the doped manganite La(2/3)Ca(1/3)MnO3. Using the novel multi-messenger combination of atomic force microscopy, cryogenic scanning near-field optical microscopy, magnetic force microscopy, and ultrafast laser excitation, we demonstrate both "writing" and "erasing" of a metastable ferromagnetic metal phase with nanometer-resolved finesse. By tracking both optical conductivity and magnetism at the nano-scale, we reveal how spontaneous strain underlies the thermal stability, persistence, and reversal of this photoinduced metal. Our first-principles electronic structure calculations reveal how an epitaxially engineered Jahn-Teller distortion can stabilize nearly degenerate antiferromagnetic insulator and ferromagnetic metal phases. We propose a Ginzburg-Landau description to rationalize the co-active interplay of strain, lattice distortion, and magnetism we resolve in strained LCMO, thus guiding future functional engineering of epitaxial oxides like manganites into the regime of phase-programmable materials. Comment: 18 pages, 5 figures, supplementary information |
| Databáze: | arXiv |
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