Argonne National Laboratory

Research Highlight | Materials Science

Intertwined density waves in a quasi-2D metallic oxide
In a study published in Nature Communications, researchers report the mechanism behind a metal-metal transition in a quasi-2D metallic oxide.
(top left) X-ray diffraction showing incommensurate charge superlattice. (top right) Incommensurate magnetic structure revealed by neutron diffraction schematic of density waves in a single trilayer based on analysis of scattering patterns.

Scientific Achievement

We discovered that coexisting sinusoidal charge- and spin density waves drive a metal-metal transition in trilayer La4Ni3O10; we attribute density wave formation to Fermi surface gapping.

Significance and Impact

Our findings establish quasi-2D La4Ni3O10  as the missing link between the latent charge- and spin-order of 3D metallic nickelates and the fully-expressed order found in 2D insulating stripe-phase nickelates.

Research Details

  • High-resolution single-crystal X-ray and neutron diffraction revealed charge- and spin density waves.
  • Distinctive patterns of superlattice reflections lead to proposed models of the sinusoidal modulations in charge and spin sectors.
  • First principles calculations implicate Fermi surface nesting as the driving mechanism.
     

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19836-0

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