Jobu Matsuno

Fermi-level-dependent charge-to-spin current conversion by Dirac surface states of topological insulators

The spin–momentum locking of Dirac surface states offers intriguing possibilities for converting between charge and spin currents. Experiments show that fine tuning of the Fermi level is critical for maximizing the efficiency of such conversions.

Engineering a Spin-Orbital Magnetic Insulator by Tailoring Superlattices.

In 5d Ir oxides with an interplay of spin-orbit coupling and electron correlations, we have tailored a spin-orbital magnetic insulator out of a semimetal SrIrO(3) by tuning the structure through superlattices [(SrIrO(3))(m), SrTiO(3)] (m=1,2,3,4, and ∞). We observed the systematic decrease of the magnetic ordering temperature and the resistivity as a function of m. The transition from the semimetal to the insulator is found to be closely linked to the appearance of magnetism at m≃3. Long range magnetic ordering was realized even in the m=1 single layer superlattice, implying that the design and realization of novel electronic phases is feasible at the level of a single atomic layer in complex Ir oxides.

Interface-driven topological Hall effect in SrRuO3-SrIrO3 bilayer

Electronic transport measurements reveal the formation of swirling spin textures, skyrmions, at high-quality oxide interface. Electron transport coupled with magnetism has attracted attention over the years. Among them, recently discovered is topological Hall effect (THE), originating from scalar spin chirality, that is, the solid angle subtended by the spins. THE is found to be a promising tool for probing the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya (DM) interaction and consequent magnetic skyrmions. This interaction arises from broken inversion symmetry and hence can be artificially introduced at interface; this concept is lately verified in metal multilayers. However, there are few attempts to investigate such DM interaction at interface through electron transport. We clarified how the transport properties couple with interface DM interaction by fabricating the epitaxial oxide interface. We observed THE in epitaxial bilayers consisting of ferromagnetic SrRuO3 and paramagnetic SrIrO3 over a wide region of both temperature and magnetic field. The magnitude of THE rapidly decreases with the thickness of SrRuO3, suggesting that the interface DM interaction plays a significant role. Such interaction is expected to realize a 10-nm-sized Néel-type magnetic skyrmion. The present results established that the high-quality oxide interface enables us to tune the effective DM interaction; this can be a step toward future topological electronics.

Two-dimensional Heisenberg behavior of J(eff)=1/2 isospins in the paramagnetic state of the spin-orbital Mott insulator Sr2IrO4.

The dynamical correlations of J(eff)=1/2 isospins in the paramagnetic state of spin-orbital Mott insulator Sr2IrO4 were revealed by resonant magnetic x-ray diffuse scattering. We found a two-dimensional antiferromagnetic fluctuation with a large in-plane correlation length exceeding 100 lattice spacings at even 20 K above the magnetic ordering temperature. In marked contrast to the naive expectation of the strong magnetic anisotropy associated with an enhanced spin-orbit coupling, we discovered an isotropic isospin correlation that is well described by the two-dimensional S=1/2 quantum Heisenberg model. The estimated antiferromagnetic coupling constant as large as J∼0.1u2009u2009eV that is comparable to the small Mott gap (<0.5u2009u2009eV) points out the weak and marginal Mott character of this spin-orbital entangled system.

Fermi level shift in La1−xSrxMO3 (M=Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni) probed by Schottky-like heteroepitaxial junctions with SrTi0.99Nb0.01O3

The authors have studied electrical properties of perovskite heteroepitaxial junctions consisting of transition metal oxides La1−xSrxMO3 (LSMO: M=Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni) and an n-type semiconductor SrTi0.99Nb0.01O3 (Nb:STO). The junctions showed rectifying current-voltage characteristics that could be analyzed by taking into account a Schottky-like barrier formed in the Nb:STO at the interfaces. As the doping level x is increased, the Schottky barrier height and built-in potential increase as ∼x (eV), indicating the downward shift of the Fermi level position in the LSMO. The Fermi level position in the LSMO with the same doping level x tends to be deepened with increasing the atomic number of M, in the order of Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni.

5d iridium oxide as a material for spin-current detection

Devices based on pure spin currents have been attracting increasing attention as key ingredients for low-dissipation electronics. To integrate such spintronics devices into charge-based technologies, electric detection of spin currents is essential. The inverse spin Hall effect converts a spin current into an electric voltage through spin-orbit coupling. Noble metals such as Pt and Pd, and also Cu-based alloys, have been regarded as potential materials for a spin-current injector, owing to the large direct spin Hall effect. Their spin Hall resistivity ρSH, representing the performance as a detector, is not large enough, however, due mainly because of their low charge resistivity. Here we report that a binary 5d transition metal oxide, iridium oxide, overcomes the limitations encountered in noble metals and Cu-based alloys and shows a very large ρSH~38 μΩ cm at room temperature.

Magnetic field tuning of interface electronic properties in manganite-titanate junctions

We have investigated epitaxial Nd0.5Sr0.5MnO3∕SrTi0.9998Nb0.0002O3(110) (NSMO/Nb:STO) junctions wherein a metal-insulator transition can be induced by magnetic field in the NSMO layer. The NSMO/Nb:STO junctions show highly rectifying current density–voltage (J-V) characteristics, in accord with the conventional theory for a Schottky (or a p-n) diode. The forward bias J-V, as well as the reverse bias capacitance-voltage characteristics, has revealed a built-in potential of 0.8–0.9eV. In the reverse bias region, a large positive magnetocapacitance has been observed at 5 and 50K, suggesting that the effective carrier density of NSMO is modified by the magnetic field.

Fabrication of (111)-oriented Ca0.5Sr0.5IrO3/SrTiO3 superlattices—A designed playground for honeycomb physics

We report the fabrication of (111)-oriented superlattice structures with alternating 2m-layers (m = 1, 2, and 3) of Ca0.5Sr0.5IrO3 perovskite and two layers of SrTiO3 perovskite on SrTiO3(111) substrates. In the case of m = 1 bilayer films, the Ir sub-lattice is a buckled honeycomb, where a topological state may be anticipated. The successful growth of superlattice structures on an atomic level along the [111] direction was clearly demonstrated by superlattice reflections in x-ray diffraction patterns and by atomically resolved transmission electron microscope images. The ground states of the superlattice films were found to be magnetic insulators, which may suggest the importance of electron correlations in Ir perovskites in addition to the much discussed topological effects.

Three-dimensional electronic structures and the metal-insulator transition in Ruddlesden-Popper iridates

In this study, we systematically investigate 3D momentum(

Semimetallic transport properties of epitaxially stabilized perovskite CaIrO3 films

hbar k