- Prof. Francisco Rivadulla from CiQUS has just published an article on the electronic interactions in nanometric films of nickel oxides in the prestigious Nature Communications journal
- These systems are precursors of the last type of oxides, where the existence of low temperature superconductivity has been demonstrated
- This work is the result of a collaboration with teams at the University of Groningen (Netherlands) and the University of Zaragoza (Spain)
The last work published by Francisco Rivadulla is entitled “Tunable resistivity exponents in the metallic phase of epitaxial nickelates”. The prestigious Nature Communications journal includes the results of this collaborative project between researchers from CiQUS, the University of Zaragoza and the University of Groningen (Netherlands), one of the most relevant academic/scientific institutions in Europe.
The article contains experimental data which enable the modelling of the effect of atomic disorder on the electrons that transport electrical current in these materials, which are very important from the point of view of science and technology.
“These oxides, when prepared in a very pure way, are characterised by a low electrical resistance. The key is how that electrical resistance depends on temperature because this dependence allows us to identify the mechanisms by which the electrons of the system interact with one another and with the crystalline network atomic vibrations, such as superconductivity, giving rise to various matter phases at very low temperature”, explains Francisco Rivadulla, principal investigator of CiQUS team.
Objective: a precise understanding of nickelates
This work, which looks into the research line on thermal and electrical transport in two-dimensional nanostructures of oxides, in which Rivadulla’s team has extensive experience, provides new and very precise experimental data that will allow the further development of theoretical models focused on understanding the physics of these materials.
“In a system derived from NdNiO3, such as the one explored in this work, a superconductive phase at low temperature has been observed, hence the interest in understanding the different types of interactions that can determine the electronic behaviour of these nickel oxides. Many teams have worked on this material for many years but the great variety of experimental behaviours reported with respect to the thermal dependence of electrical resistance made it almost impossible to model these systems”, adds Rivadulla.
“We have been able to synthesize this material in an ultrapure way and then add defects at the atomic scale in a controlled manner. This has allowed us to parameterize for the first time, and with such precision, the effect of atomic disorder on the electrons that transport electrical current and understand their complex behaviour”, concludes this researcher.
