SGER: How Does Magnetism Arise in Niobium Oxides?

Princeton University, Princeton NJ

Investigators

Abstract

Technical Abstract This project aims to elucidate the critical factors that cause some chemical compounds to be magnetic, while others, quite similar, are not. This highly exploratory research will address the discovery and characterization of niobium oxides that are expected to straddle the border between magnetism and non-magnetism. These materials represent a frontier class of compounds in this field due to their structural complexity, leading to structure-property relations that push the limits of what can presently be understood, and also the fact that it is highly unexpected that they display magnetism at all, challenging our understanding of the origin of magnetism in complex materials. Transition metal oxides continue to pose great challenges to our understanding of the relationships between chemistry, crystal structures, and physical properties in complex solids. The challenges arise due to strong interactions between d electrons, not successfully treated by theoretical models, and also due to the delicate balance between nearly energetically equivalent ground states that often arises from coupling between electronic, magnetic, and structural degrees of freedom. Non-technical Abstract The impact of this research will be significant in fields outside the field of specialty of the proposal, particularly in condensed matter physics, and the results will be widely disseminated in that community. As one of the primary goals of the program, graduate and undergraduate students will be trained to become future researchers in the critical area of materials for technological applications. The PI has previously succeeded in placing many students in industrial laboratories after graduation, a sign of the success of that activity. A course in freshman chemistry, designed by the PI to develop a sense of the importance of the chemical compounds used in technology in future engineers and business persons, will be given. The PI will make presentations at local primary and secondary schools to address the science pipeline, and will actively encourage the participation of women and minorities in the project research.