Electrical Control of Structural and Physical Properties via Strong Spin-Orbit Interactions in Sr2IrO4

Abstract

Electrical control of structural and physical properties is a long-sought, but elusive goal of contemporary science and technology. We demonstrate that a combination of strong spin-orbit interactions (SOI) and a canted antiferromagnetic (AFM) Mott state is sufficient to attain that goal. The AFM insulator Sr2IrO4 provides a model system in which strong SOI lock canted Ir magnetic moments to IrO6-octahedra, causing them to rigidly rotate together. A novel coupling between an applied electrical current and the canting angle reduces the Néel temperature and drives a large, non-linear lattice expansion that closely tracks the magnetization, increases the electron mobility, and precipitates a unique resistive switching effect. Our observations open new avenues for understanding fundamental physics driven by strong SOI in condensed matter, and provide a new paradigm for functional materials and devices.

arXiv comment5 figures; to be published in Physical Review Letters

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Cited by in corpus (23)

• Control of chiral orbital currents in a colossal magnetoresistance material
• Strain-engineering of the charge and spin-orbital interactions in Sr2IrO4
• The Jeff=1/2 antiferromagnet Sr2IrO4: A golden avenue toward new physics and functions
• Nonequilibrium Orbital Transitions via Applied Electrical Current in Calcium Ruthenate
• Chemical bonding and Born charge in 1T-HfS${}_2$
• Lattice frustration in spin-orbit Mott insulator Sr3Ir2O7 at high pressure
• Anomalous Magnetoresistance due to Longitudinal Spin Fluctuations in a Jeff = 1/2 Mott Semiconductor
• Quest for New Quantum States via Field-Editing Technology
• Pseudospin-lattice coupling and electric control of the square-lattice iridate Sr2IrO4
• Optical Signature of a Crossover from Mott- to Slater-type Gap in Sr${}_2$Ir${}_{1-x}$Rh${}_x$O${}_4$
• Towards Electrical-Current Control of Quantum States in Spin-Orbit-Coupled Matter
• Current-sensitive Hall effect in a chiral-orbital-current state
• In situ control of diamagnetism by electric current in Ca${}_3$(Ru${}_{1-x}$Ti${}_x$)${}_2$O${}_7$
• Nature of the current-induced insulator-to-metal transition in Ca${}_2$RuO${}_4$ as revealed by transport-ARPES
• Spin-lattice and electron-phonon coupling in 3$d$/5$d$ hybrid Sr${}_3$NiIrO${}_6$
• Emerging new phases in correlated Mott insulator Ca2RuO4
• Evolution of electronic and magnetic properties of Sr${}_2$IrO${}_4$ under strain
• Mechanical control of physical properties in the van der Waals ferromagnet Cr2Ge2Te6 via application of electric current
• Quantum Criticality in a Layered Iridate
• Dimensionality of the superconductivity in the transition metal pnictide WP
• Orbital-Selective Spin-Orbit Mott Insulator in Fractional Valence Iridate La${}_3$Ir${}_3$O${}_{11}$
• Emergent Inductance from Chiral Orbital Currents in a Bulk Ferrimagnet
• Absence of temperature-dependent phonon anomalies in Sr2IrO4 and Sr3Ir2O7