Quantum magnetism in relativistic osmates from first principles

The interplay between electron correlation, local distortions and Spin Orbit Coupling is one of the most attractive phenomena in condensed matter Physics and have stimulated much attention in the last decade. In Osmates double perovskites the coupling between electronic, structural and orbital degrees of freedom leads to the formation of an unconventional magnetic phase, whose precise origin and characteristics are still not understood. In particular strong Spin Orbit Coupling effect is believed to occur and have a crucial role in enhancing multipolar exchange interactions in a fashion similar to the more studied 4f electron systems. In this thesis, by means of first principles calculations, we study the structural, electronic and magnetic proprieties of the Mott insulating Ba2NaOsO6 with Osmium in 5d1 electron configuration within the fully relativistic Density Functional Theory plus on site Hubbard U (DFT + U) scheme. We find that the system is subjected to local symmetry breaking and that the magnetic ground state is strongly dependent on the on site Coulomb interaction. Furthermore, by mapping the energy onto a Pseudospin Hamiltonian, we are capable to prove that quadrupolar and octupolar exchanges play a significant role. We repeated the study for Ba2CaOsO6 with Os in 5d2 electronic configuration as a preliminary step for understanding if phase transitions are possible when Ba2NaOsO6 is doped

Modeling magnetic multipolar phases in density functional theory

Multipolar magnetic phases in correlated insulators represent a great challenge for density functional theory (DFT) due to the coexistence of intermingled interactions, typically spin-orbit coupling, crystal field and com-plex noncollinear and high-rank intersite exchange, creating a complected configurational space with multiple minima. Although the +U correction to DFT allows, in principle, the modeling of such magnetic ground states, its results strongly depend on the initially symmetry breaking, constraining the nature of order parameter in the converged DFT + U solution. As a rule, DFT + U calculations starting from a set of initial on-site magnetic moments result in a conventional dipolar order. A more sophisticated approach is clearly needed in the case of magnetic multipolar ordering, which is revealed by a null integral of the magnetization density over spheres centered on magnetic atoms, but with nonzero local contributions. Here we show how such phases can be efficiently captured using an educated constrained initialization of the on-site density matrix, which is derived from the multipolar-ordered ground state of an ab initio effective Hamiltonian. Various properties of such exotic ground states, like their one-electron spectra, become therefore accessible by all-electron DFT + U methods. We assess the reliability of this procedure on the ferro-octupolar ground state recently predicted in Ba2MOsO6 (M = Ca, Mg, Zn) [Phys. Rev. Lett. 127, 237201 (2021)]

The Mott transition in the 5d1^1 compound Ba2_2NaOsO6:_6: a DFT+DMFT study with PAW non-collinear projectors

Spin-orbit coupling has been reported to be responsible for the insulating nature of the 5d$^1$ osmate double perovskite Ba$_2$NaOsO$_6$ (BNOO). However, whether spin-orbit coupling indeed drives the metal-to-insulator transition (MIT) in this compound is an open question. In this work we investigate the impact of relativistic effects on the electronic properties of BNOO via density functional theory plus dynamical mean-field theory calculations in the paramagnetic regime, where the insulating phase is experimentally observed. The correlated subspace is modeled with non-collinear projectors of the projector augumented wave method (PAW) employed in the Vienna Ab Initio Simulation Package (VASP), suitably interfaced with the TRIQS package. The inclusion of PAW non-collinear projectors in TRIQS enables the treatment of spin-orbit coupling effects fully ab-initio within the dynamical mean-field theory framework. In the present work, we show that spin-orbit coupling, although assisting the MIT in BNOO, is not the main driving force for its gapped spectra, placing this material in the Mott insulator regime. Relativistic effects primarily impact the correlated states' character, excitations, and magnetic ground-state properties

Spin-orbital Jahn-Teller bipolarons

Polarons and spin-orbit (SO) coupling are distinct quantum effects that play a critical role in charge transport and spin-orbitronics. Polarons originate from strong electron-phonon interaction and are ubiquitous in polarizable materials featuring electron localization, in particular $\mathrm{3d}$ transition metal oxides (TMOs). On the other hand, the relativistic coupling between the spin and orbital angular momentum is notable in lattices with heavy atoms and develops in $\mathrm{5d}$ TMOs, where electrons are spatially delocalized. Here we combine ab initio calculations and magnetic measurements to show that these two seemingly mutually exclusive interactions are entangled in the electron-doped SO-coupled Mott insulator $\mathrm{Ba_2Na_{1-x}Ca_xOsO_6}$ ($0< x < 1$), unveiling the formation of spin-orbital bipolarons. Polaron charge trapping, favoured by the Jahn-Teller lattice activity, converts the Os $\mathrm{5d^1}$ spin-orbital $\mathrm{J_{eff}=3/2}$ levels, characteristic of the parent compound $\mathrm{Ba_2NaOsO_6}$ (BNOO), into a bipolaron $\mathrm{5d^2}$ $\mathrm{J_{eff}=2}$ manifold, leading to the coexistence of different J-effective states in a single-phase material. The gradual increase of bipolarons with increasing doping creates robust in-gap states that prevents the transition to a metal phase even at ultrahigh doping, thus preserving the Mott gap across the entire doping range from $\mathrm{d^1}$ BNOO to $\mathrm{d^2}$ $\mathrm{Ba_2CaOsO_6}$ (BCOO)

Mortality and pulmonary complications in patients undergoing surgery with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection: an international cohort study

Background: The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on postoperative recovery needs to be understood to inform clinical decision making during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study reports 30-day mortality and pulmonary complication rates in patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: This international, multicentre, cohort study at 235 hospitals in 24 countries included all patients undergoing surgery who had SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed within 7 days before or 30 days after surgery. The primary outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality and was assessed in all enrolled patients. The main secondary outcome measure was pulmonary complications, defined as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or unexpected postoperative ventilation. Findings: This analysis includes 1128 patients who had surgery between Jan 1 and March 31, 2020, of whom 835 (74·0%) had emergency surgery and 280 (24·8%) had elective surgery. SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed preoperatively in 294 (26·1%) patients. 30-day mortality was 23·8% (268 of 1128). Pulmonary complications occurred in 577 (51·2%) of 1128 patients; 30-day mortality in these patients was 38·0% (219 of 577), accounting for 81·7% (219 of 268) of all deaths. In adjusted analyses, 30-day mortality was associated with male sex (odds ratio 1·75 [95% CI 1·28–2·40], p\textless0·0001), age 70 years or older versus younger than 70 years (2·30 [1·65–3·22], p\textless0·0001), American Society of Anesthesiologists grades 3–5 versus grades 1–2 (2·35 [1·57–3·53], p\textless0·0001), malignant versus benign or obstetric diagnosis (1·55 [1·01–2·39], p=0·046), emergency versus elective surgery (1·67 [1·06–2·63], p=0·026), and major versus minor surgery (1·52 [1·01–2·31], p=0·047). Interpretation: Postoperative pulmonary complications occur in half of patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection and are associated with high mortality. Thresholds for surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic should be higher than during normal practice, particularly in men aged 70 years and older. Consideration should be given for postponing non-urgent procedures and promoting non-operative treatment to delay or avoid the need for surgery. Funding: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, Bowel and Cancer Research, Bowel Disease Research Foundation, Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons, British Association of Surgical Oncology, British Gynaecological Cancer Society, European Society of Coloproctology, NIHR Academy, Sarcoma UK, Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland, and Yorkshire Cancer Research

Ferro-octupolar order and low-energy excitations in d2^2 double perovskites of Osmium

Conflicting interpretations of experimental data preclude the understanding of the quantum magnetic state of spin-orbit coupled $d^2$ double perovskites. Whether the ground state is a Janh-Teller-distorted order of quadrupoles or the hitherto elusive octupolar order remains debated. We resolve this uncertainty through direct calculations of all-rank inter-site exchange interactions and inelastic neutron scattering cross-section for the $d^2$ double perovskite series Ba$_2M$OsO$_6$ ($M$= Ca, Mg, Zn). Using advanced many-body first principles methods we show that the ground state is formed by ferro-ordered octupoles coupled by superexchange interactions within the ground-state $E_g$ doublet. Computed ordering temperature of the single second-order phase-transition is consistent with experimentally observed material-dependent trends. Minuscule distortions of the parent cubic structure are shown to qualitatively modify the structure of gaped magnetic excitations.Comment: 6 pages + 12 pages of Supplementary. Final published versio

Doping Evolution of the Local Electronic and Structural Properties of the Double Perovskite Ba2_{2}Na1–x_{1–x}Cax_{x}OsO6_{6}

We present a combined experimental and computational study of the effect of charge doping in the osmium based double perovskite Ba$_{2}$Na$_{1–x}$Ca$_{x}$OsO$_{6}$ for 0 ≤ x ≤ 1 in order to provide a structural and electronic basis for understanding this complex Dirac–Mott insulator material. Specifically, we investigate the effects of the substitution of monovalent Na with divalent Ca, a form of charge doping or alloying that nominally tunes the system from Os$^{7+}$ with a 5d$^1$ configuration to Os$^{6+}$ with 5d$^2$ configuration. After an X-ray diffraction characterization, the local atomic and electronic structure has been experimentally probed by X-ray absorption fine structure at all the cation absorption edges at room temperature; the simulations have been performed using ab initio density functional methods. We find that the substitution of Na by Ca induces a linear volume expansion of the crystal structure which indicates an effective alloying due to the substitution process in the whole doping range. The local structure corresponds to the expected double perovskite one with rock-salt arrangement of Na/Ca in the B site and Os in the B′ one for all the compositions. X-ray absorption near edge structure measurements show a smooth decrease of the oxidation state of Os from 7+ (5d$^1$) to 6+ (5d$^2$) with increasing Ca concentration, while the oxidation states of Ba, Na, and Ca are constant. This indicates that the substitution of Na by Ca gives rise to an effective electron transfer from the B to the B′ site. The comparison between X-ray absorption measurements and ab initio simulations reveals that the expansion of the Os–O bond length induces a reduction of the crystal field splitting of unoccupied Os derived d states