Spin-Orbit Coupling and Novel Electronic States at the Interfaces of Heavy Fermion Materials
Abstract
This report summarizes the progress made under the STIR grant. We completed the exploratory phase of a newly developed idea, which is to study novel electronic phases at the interfaces of heavy fermion heterostructures. The key physics is that the strong and tunable spin-orbit coupling (SOC) may induce new electronic phases that are difficult to realize in bulk materials. With the support of this STIR grant, we have a) completed a theoretical study, which illustrates that the tuning of SOC gives rise to transitions between quantum phases in a Kondoinsulator system; and, equally important, b) motivated experimental ists to embark on the fabrication of Kondo insulator heterostructures and the exploration of quantum phase transitions induced by the interplay among a tunable SOC, Kondo coupling, and magnetism associated with RKKY interactions. As such, our work has moved forward with exploring a promising new parameter regime in the correlated-electron global phase diagram of heavy fermion materials and, in addition, paving the way for interactions between the heavy fermion and correlated oxide heterostructure communities.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 22, 2016
- Accession Number
- AD1008506
Entities
People
- C-h Chung
- Jinghang Dai
- Qimiao Si
- X-y Feng
Organizations
- Rice University