Estrutura atômica e eletrônica em niquelatos (TRNiO3) através de espectroscopia de níveis profundos

Orientador: Helio Cesar Nogueira TolentinoTese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Fisica Gleb WataghinResumo: Neste trabalho de tese estudamos a estrutura atômica e eletrônica de sistemas de perovskitas de Ni com terras-raras (TRNiO3) utilizando a espectroscopia de absorção de níveis profundos. A fonte de luz síncrotron foi explorada na região de raios X moles para o estudo das bordas LIII e LII do Ni, e na região de raios X duros para o estudo da borda K do Ni e LIII dos terras raras. A propriedade mais notável nesses sistemas é a ocorrência de uma transição metal-isolante ao variarmos a temperatura da amostra. Essa tem-peratura de transição depende do íon terra-rara, e aumenta ao reduzirmos o tamanho do mesmo. Esses sistemas possuem uma estrutura perovskita distorcida, onde os octaedros NiO6 giram para preencher o espaço em torno do íon terra-rara. Quanto menor o íon, maior a distorção. Observamos assim uma estreita correlação entre a distorção da rede e a transição metal-isolante.Para sistemas com TR variando desde Pr ao Gd foi encontrada uma estrutura cristalográfica de simetria ortorômbica, onde o Ni ocupa um sítio simétrico.Baseado nisto, um primeiro modelo proposto sugeria que a transição seria devido ao estreitamento da banda formada pelos orbitais hibridizados Ni-3d e O-2p, quando o ângulo Ni-O-Ni diminui. No entanto, modificações na temperatura de transição metal-isolante pela substituição isotópica do O mostraram que o acoplamento elétron-fônon deveria ser importante. De fato, para sistemas com íons TR menores (de Ho a Lu) foi encontrada uma distorção monoclínica na fase isolante desses sistemas. Em tal estrutura o Ni ocupa sítios distintos com distâncias Ni-O diferentes. Um ordenamento de cargas nesses sítios distintos explica a fase isolante, bem como o ordenamento antiferromagnético observado para alguns dos compostos. Nossos resultados mostram que essas duas distâncias Ni-O coexistem para todos os sistemas, independentemente da estrutura cristalográfica de longo alcance, e em ambas fases eletrônicas. O sítio maior, de fraca hibridização, é o responsável pela localização eletrônica e coexiste com uma matriz condutora de forte hibridização. A transição metal isolante é explicada pelas modificações na proporção entre esses dois sítios. Dentro deste contexto, um forte acoplamento dos elétrons de condução com a rede é esperado, bem como a supressão da fase isolante sob pressãoAbstract: In this work, we studied the atomic and electronic structure of Ni perovskite systems (TRNiO3, TR=rare earth) using core level absorption spectroscopy. The synchrotron light source was exploited in the soft X-ray range to study Ni LIII and LII edges and in the hard X-ray range to study Ni K edge and rare earths LIII edges. The most remarkable property in these systems is a metal to insulator transition with temperature. This transition temperature depends on the rare-earth ion, increasing its value as the rare earth size is re-duced. These systems have a distorted perovskite structure, where the Ni O6octahedra rotate to fill the empty space left around the rare-earth ion. The smaller the ion, the larger the distortion. This indicates a straight correlation between the net distortion and the metal-insulator transition. For systems with TR varying from Pr to Gd it was found a crystallographic structure with orthorhombic symmetry, where Ni occupies a very symmetric site. Based on these results, it was proposed a model suggesting that the bandwidth would decrease due to a smaller hybridization between Ni3d and O2p bands caused by a decrease at the Ni-O-Ni angle. However, modifications in the transition temperature by the O isotope substitution, showed that the electron-phonon coupling plays an important role. Indeed, for systems with smaller TR ions (from Ho to Lu) it was found a monoclinic distortion in the insulating phase. In such structure Ni occupies two different sites with different Ni-O distances. A charge ordering associated to these different sites explains the insulating phase, as well as the antiferromagnetic ordering observed for some systems. Our results show that these two Ni-O distances coexist in all systems, inde-pendent of its long range crystallographic structure, and in both electronic phases. The site with longer Ni-O distance, which is weakly hybridized, is the responsible for the electronic localization and it is immersed in a con-ducting matrix with stronger hybridization. The metal-insulator transition is explained by the modifications in the proportion between these two Ni sites. In this context, a strong electron-phonon coupling is expected, as well as the suppression of the insulating phase under pressureDoutoradoFísicaDoutor em Ciência

An electron hole doping and soft x-ray spectroscopy study on La1-xSrxFe0.75Ni0.25O3-{\delta}

The conductivity of the electron hole and polaron conductor La1-xSrxFe0.75Ni0.25O3-{\delta}, a potential cathode material for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells, was studied for 0 <x < 1 and for temperatures 300 K <T < 1250 K. In LaSrFe-oxide, an ABO3 type perovskite, A-site substitu-tion of the trivalent La3+ by the divalent Sr2+ causes oxidation of Fe3+ towards Fe4+, which forms conducting electron holes. Here we have in addition a B-site substitution by Ni. The compound for x = 0.5 is identified as the one with the highest conductivity ({\sigma} ~ 678 S/cm) and lowest activation energy for polaron conductivity (Ep = 39 meV). The evolution of the electronic structure was monitored by soft x-ray Fe and oxygen K-edge spectroscopy. Homogeneous trend for the oxida-tion state of the Fe was observed. The variation of the ambient temperature conductivity and activation energy with relative Sr content (x) shows a correlation with the ratio of (eg/eg+t2g) in Fe L3 edge up to x=0.5. The hole doping process is reflected by an almost linear trend by the variation of the pre-peaks of the oxygen K-edge soft x-ray absorption spectra

Environment of Er in a-Si:H: co-sputtering versus ion implantation

We report a comparative Extended X-Ray Fine Structure (EXAFS) study of Er in a-Si:H prepared by Er implantation in a-Si:H and by co-sputtering undergoing the same cumulative annealing processes. It was found that the Er environment in as-implanted samples is formed by Si atoms, which are replaced by oxygen under annealing. In the co-sputtered samples, the initial low coordination oxygen environment evolves under thermal treatment to an Er2O3 -like neighborhood.756759Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Evidence for Coexistence of Bulk Superconductivity and Itinerant Antiferromagnetism in the Heavy Fermion System CeCo(In1−x_{1-x}Cdx_x)5_5

In the generic phase diagram of heavy fermion systems, tuning an external parameter such as hydrostatic or chemical pressure modifies the superconducting transition temperature. The superconducting phase forms a dome in the temperature-tuning parameter phase diagram, which is associated with a maximum of the superconducting pairing interaction. Proximity to antiferromagnetism suggests a relation between the disappearance of antiferromagnetic order and superconductivity. We combine muon spin rotation, neutron scattering, and x-ray absorption spectroscopy techniques to gain access to the magnetic and electronic structure of CeCo(In$_{1-x}$Cd$_x$)$_5$ at different time scales. Different magnetic structures are obtained that indicate a magnetic order of itinerant character, coexisting with bulk superconductivity. The suppression of the antiferromagnetic order appears to be driven by a modification of the bandwidth/carrier concentration, implying that the electronic structure and consequently the interplay of superconductivity and magnetism is strongly affected by hydrostatic and chemical pressure.Comment: Article + Supplementary information 33 pages, 13 figure

Spin-orbit induced mixed-spin ground state in RRNiO3_3 perovskites probed by XAS: new insight into the metal to insulator transition

We report on a Ni L$_{2,3}$ edges x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) study in $R$NiO$_3$ perovskites. These compounds exhibit a metal to insulator ($MI$) transition as temperature decreases. The L$_{3}$ edge presents a clear splitting in the insulating state, associated to a less hybridized ground state. Using charge transfer multiplet calculations, we establish the importance of the crystal field and 3d spin-orbit coupling to create a mixed-spin ground state. We explain the $MI$ transition in $R$NiO$_3$ perovskites in terms of modifications in the Ni$^{3+}$ crystal field splitting that induces a spin transition from an essentially low-spin (LS) to a mixed-spin state.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, accepted as PRB - Rapid Comm. Dez. 200

Origin of interface magnetism in BiMnO3/SrTiO3 and LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterostructures

Possible ferromagnetism induced in otherwise non-magnetic materials has been motivating intense research in complex oxide heterostructures. Here we show that a confined magnetism is realized at the interface between SrTiO3 and two insulating polar oxides, BiMnO3 and LaAlO3. By using polarization dependent x-ray absorption spectroscopy, we find that in both cases the magnetic order is stabilized by a negative exchange interaction between the electrons transferred to the interface and local magnetic moments. These local magnetic moments are associated to Ti3+ ions at the interface itself for LaAlO3/SrTiO3 and to Mn3+ ions in the overlayer for BiMnO3/SrTiO3. In LaAlO3/SrTiO3 the induced magnetic moments are quenched by annealing in oxygen, suggesting a decisive role of oxygen vacancies in the stabilization of interfacial magnetism.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Short-range charge-order in RRNiO3_{3} perovskites (RR=Pr,Nd,Eu) probed by X-ray absorption spectroscopy

The short-range organization around Ni atoms in orthorhombic $R$NiO$_{3}$ ($R$=Pr,Nd,Eu) perovskites has been studied over a wide temperature range by Ni K-edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy. Our results demonstrate that two different Ni sites, with different average Ni-O bond lengths, coexist in those orthorhombic compounds and that important modifications in the Ni nearest neighbors environment take place across the metal-insulator transition. We report evidences for the existence of short-range charge-order in the insulating state, as found in the monoclinic compounds. Moreover, our results suggest that the two different Ni sites coexists even in the metallic state. The coexistence of two different Ni sites, independently on the $R$ ion, provides a common ground to describe these compounds and shed new light in the understanding of the phonon-assisted conduction mechanism and unusual antiferromagnetism present in all $R$NiO$_{3}$ compounds.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, accepted PRB - Brief Report Dec.200

The impact of the near-surface region on the interpretation of x-ray absorption spectroscopy

Transition metal oxides (TMOs) exhibit a broad spectrum of electronic, magnetic, and optical properties, making them intriguing materials for various technological applications. Soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) is widely used to study TMOs, shedding light on their chemical state, electronic structure, orbital polarization, element-specific magnetism, and more. Different XAS acquisition modes feature different information depth regimes in the sample. Here, we employ two XAS acquisition modes, having surface-sensitive versus bulk probing depths, on the prototypical TMO SrVO3. We illustrate and elucidate a strong apparent discrepancy between the different modes, emphasizing the impact of the near-surface region on the interpretation of XAS data. These findings highlight the importance of the acquisition mode selection in XAS analysis. Moreover, the results highlight the role of the near-surface region not only in the characterization of TMOs, but also in the design of future nanoscale oxide electronics