Dynamic Jahn-Teller effect in the strong spin-orbit coupling regime
Exotic quantum phases, arising from a complex interplay of charge, spin, lattice and orbital degrees of freedom, are of immense interest to a wide research community. A well-known example of such an entangled behavior is the Jahn-Teller effect, where the lifting of orbital degeneracy proceeds through lattice distortions. Here we demonstrate that a highly-symmetrical 5d1 double perovskite Ba2MgReO6, comprising a 3D array of isolated ReO6 octahedra, represents a rare example of a dynamic Jahn-Teller system in the strong spin-orbit coupling regime. Thermodynamic and resonant inelastic x-ray scattering experiments, supported by quantum chemistry calculations, undoubtedly show that the Jahn-Teller instability leads to a ground-state doublet, resolving a long-standing puzzle in this family of compounds. The dynamic state of ReO6 octahedra persists down to the lowest temperatures, where a multipolar order sets in, allowing for investigations of the interplay between a dynamic JT effect and strongly correlated electron behavior.
2-s2.0-85205605777
39362899
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
ETH Zürich
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
Nagoya University
Paul Scherrer Institut
2024-12-01
15
1
8587
REVIEWED
EPFL
| Funder | Funding(s) | Grant Number | Grant URL |
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program | |||
LNCMI-CNRS | |||
PSI | |||
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