Strongly correlated crystal-field approach to Mott insulator LaCoO3

Our success in description of recent electron-spin-resonance results on Mott insulator LaCoO3, Phys. Rev. B 67 (2003) 172401, lies in taking into account strong electron correlations among d electrons and the relativistic spin-orbit coupling. In the developed by us Quantum Atomistic Solid State Theory (QUASST) we assume that the atomic-like integrity of the 3d^6 system is preserved in the Co^3+ ion in LaCoO3 and that intra-atomic correlations are much stronger than crystal field interactions. We conclude that in LaCoO3 there is no intermediate spin state as came out from band-structure calculations. The excited states originate from the high-spin 5T2g term, being 12 meV above the ground 1A1 state. We are convinced that many-electron CEF approach with strong correlations and the atomic-scale orbital magnetism is physically adequate approach to 3d oxides. Keywords: Mott insulator, crystal field, spin-orbit coupling, LaCoO3Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures in RevTeX