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We examine the bulk electronic structure of ${\mathrm{Nd}}_3{\mathrm{Ni}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_7$using Ni $2p$core-level hard x-ray photoemission spectroscopy combined with density functional theory $+$dynamical mean-field theory. Our results reveal a large deviation of the Ni $3d$occupation from the formal ${\mathrm{Ni}}^{2.5+}$valency, highlighting the importance of the charge transfer from oxygen ligands. We find that the dominant $d^8$configuration is accompanied by nearly equal contributions from $d^7$and $d^9$states, exhibiting an unusual valence state among Ni-based oxides. Finally, we discuss the Ni $d_{x^2-y^2}$and $d_{z^2}$orbital-dependent hybridization, correlation and local spin dynamics. Published by the American Physical Society2025 

Abstract Understanding characteristic energy scales is a fundamentally important issue in the study of strongly correlated systems. In multiband systems, an energy scale is affected not only by the effective Coulomb interaction but also by the Hund’s coupling. Direct observation of such energy scale has been elusive so far in spite of extensive studies. Here, we report the observation of a kink structure in the low energy dispersion of NiS 2− x Se x and its characteristic evolution with x , by using angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy. Dynamical mean field theory calculation combined with density functional theory confirms that this kink originates from Hund’s coupling. We find that the abrupt deviation from the Fermi liquid behavior in the electron self-energy results in the kink feature at low energy scale and that the kink is directly related to the coherence-incoherence crossover temperature scale. Our results mark the direct observation of the evolution of the characteristic temperature scale via kink features in the spectral function, which is the hallmark of Hund’s physics in the multiorbital system.