Quantum Electronic States in Delafossite Oxides
An ERC starting grant funded under Horizon 2020
One of the most active challenges of modern solid state physics and chemistry is harnessing the unique and varied physical properties of transition-metal oxides. From improved electrodes for solar cells to loss-less transmission of power, these compounds hold the potential to transform our daily lives. Subtle collective quantum states underpin their diverse properties. These complicate their physical understanding but render them extremely sensitive to their local crystalline environment, offering enormous potential to tune their functional behaviour. To date, the vast majority of work has focussed on transition-metal oxides based around cubic “perovskite” building blocks. In contrast, exploiting the layered traingular network of the delafossite structure, the QUESTDO project aims to establish delafossite oxides as a novel class of interacting electron system with properties and potential not known in more established systems. The project brings together advanced spectroscopic measurement with precise materials fabrication. Through these studies, QUESTDO aims to uncover critical new insight on the quantum many-body problem in solids, and to advance our understanding and demonstrate atomic-scale control of the physical properties of delafossites. Ultimately, it seeks to establish new design methodologies for controlling quantum electronic states in this little-studied family of transition-metal oxides, paving the route for their further study and ultimate application.
Key Publications
V. Sunko et al., Nature, 549, 492 (2017).
F. Mazzola et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 115, 12956 (2018).
N. Nandi et al., npj Quantum Materials, 3, 66 (2018).
F. Arnold et al., Phys. Rev. B, 96, 075163 (2017).
H. Usui et al., Phys. Rev. Mat. 3, 045002 (2019).
S. Kitamura et al., arXiv:1811.03105 (2018).
V. Sunko et al., arXiv:1809.08972 (2018).
V. Sunko et al., npj Quantum Materials 4, 46 (2019).
Project Team
We are fortunate to collaborate with a number of leading scientists from across the world, including:
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Prof. Andy Mackenzie, Max-Planck Institute for the Chemical Physics of Solids
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Dr Veronika Sunko, Max-Planck Institute for the Chemical Physics of Solids
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Dr. Helge Rosner, Max-Planck Institute for the Chemical Physics of Solids
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Dr. Seunghyun Khim, Max-Planck Institute for the Chemical Physics of Solids
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Dr. Tien-Lin Lee, Diamond Light Source
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Dr. Timur Kim, Diamond Light Source
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Dr. Ivana Vobornik, Elettra
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Dr. Jun Fuji, Elettra