Magnetic Field Frustration of the Metal-Insulator Transition in V2O3

Published

June 1, 2020

Author(s)

J. Trastoy, A. Camjayi, J. del Valle, Y. Kalcheim, J.-P. Crocombette, Dustin A. Gilbert, Julie Borchers, J. E. Villegas, D. Ravelosona, M. J. Rozenberg, Ivan K. Schuller

Abstract

Despite decades of efforts, the origin of metal-insulator transitions (MITs) in strongly-correlated materials remains one of the main longstanding problems in condensed-matter physics. An archetypal example is V₂O₃, which undergoes simultaneous electronic, structural and magnetic phase transitions. This remarkable feature highlights the many degrees of freedom at play in this material. In this work, acting solely on the magnetic degree of freedom, we reveal an anomalous feature in the electronic transport of V₂o₃; on cooling, the magnetoresistance (MR) changes from positive to negative values well above the MIT temperature, and shows divergent behaviour at the transition. The effects are attributed to the magnetic field quenching antiferromagnetic fluctuations above the Neel temperature, T_N, and preventing long-range antiferromagnetic ordering prevents the opening of the incipient electronic gap. This interpretation is supported by Hubbard model calculations and together fully reproduce the experimental behaviour. Our study sheds new light on this classic problem providing a clear and physical interpretation of the nature of the metal-insulator transition.

Citation

Physical Review B

Volume

101

Issue

24

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

Antiferromagnetic, Metal to Insulator Transition, Magnetoresistance: Neutron Diffraction, Neel Temperature

Citation

Trastoy, J. , Camjayi, A. , del Valle, J. , Kalcheim, Y. , Crocombette, J. , Gilbert, D. , Borchers, J. , Villegas, J. , Ravelosona, D. , Rozenberg, M. and Schuller, I. (2020), Magnetic Field Frustration of the Metal-Insulator Transition in V₂O₃, Physical Review B, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=928577 (Accessed October 26, 2025)