Crystallization and vitrification of strongly correlated electrons on a geometrically frustrated triangular lattice

ORAL

Abstract

We report a unique glassy state of electrons – in contrast to long-range charge ordering (CO) – realized in the organic conductor θm-(BEDT-TTF)2TlZn(SCN)4, where the lack of periodicity of the strongly correlated electrons on the triangular lattice, characterizing the glassy state, is caused by geometric frustration and strong quantum effects [1]. Our experiments reveal that the CO transition (charge crystallization) can be avoided by rapid cooling, and charge vitrification occurs via a supercooled charge-liquid state. This is accompanied by heterogeneous slow dynamics, which in turn can be understood by the notion of the energy landscape with multiple local minima. We demonstrate that the crystallization of strongly correlated electrons involves the same nucleation and growth processes as that of conventional glass-forming liquids such as structural and metallic glasses. These similarities among different classes of glass formers are surprising and will constitute further new insights to our general understanding of the liquid-glass transition.
[1] S. Sasaki, K. Hashimoto et al., Science 357, 1381–1385 (2017).

–

Presenters

  • Kenichiro Hashimoto

    • Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University

Authors

  • Kenichiro Hashimoto

    • Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University

  • Satoru Sasaki

    • Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University

  • Ryota Kobayashi

    • Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University

  • Keisuke Itoh

    • Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University

  • Satoshi Iguchi

    • Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University

  • Yutaka Nishio

    • Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Toho University

  • Yuka Ikemoto

    • SPring-8, Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute

  • Taro Moriwaki

    • SPring-8, Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute

  • Naoki Yoneyama

    • Graduate Faculty of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Yamanashi

  • Masashi Watanabe

    • Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University

  • Akira Ueda

    • The Institute for Solid State Physics, The University of Tokyo
    • ISSP, University of Tokyo

  • Hatsumi Mori

    • The Institute for Solid State Physics, The University of Tokyo
    • ISSP, University of Tokyo

  • Kensuke Kobayashi

    • CMRC and Photon Factory, Institute of Materials Structure Science, KEK

  • Reiji Kumai

    • High energy accelerator research organization (KEK)
    • CMRC and Photon Factory, Institute of Materials Structure Science, KEK

  • Youichi Murakami

    • CMRC and Photon Factory, Institute of Materials Structure Science, KEK

  • Jens Mueller

    • Institute of Physics, Goethe-University Frankfurt
    • Institute of Physics, Goethe-University

  • Takahiko Sasaki

    • Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University