Low Dimensional Transition Metal Oxyanion Mulitferroics

Non-Technical Summary This project, supported by the Solid State and Materials Chemistry Program in NSF’s Division of Materials Research, will allow researchers at Clemson University to focus on the synthesis of new materials displaying unusual optical and magnetic properties. Particular emphasis is placed on the growth of high-quality single crystals in high temperature, high pressure water (the so-called high temperature hydrothermal method) that enables accurate characterization of complex physical properties such as magnetic structures. The target materials can display nonlinear optical or frustrated magnetic behavior which can lead to new quantum materials and enable a more detailed understanding of the compounds used in quantum computing and quantum communication. The project pays particular attention to the development of the next generation of researchers, supporting graduate students, undergraduates and postdoctoral fellows. It will also specifically educate new researchers on the targeted growth of single crystals, an area of considerable current need in the United States. Another important activity involves significant student collaboration with the state-of-the-art neutron and magnetic research facilities at Oak Ridge National Lab. These interactions with an advanced national laboratory provide invaluable learning experiences for the next generation of researchers. Technical Summary As part of this project, supported by the Solid State and Materials Chemistry Program in NSF’s Division of Materials Research, researchers at Clemson University will focus on the synthesis and characterization of new materials with interesting magnetic and nonlinear properties. The use of a high temperature hydrothermal method leads to the efficient growth of high quality single crystals with minimal lattice defects and negligible site disorder, which will enable accurate determination of physical properties. One specific goal is to gain a greater understanding of systems with coupled physical properties, such as multiferroics and magnetoelectrics. Emphasis will be on materials with potential magnetic frustration, especially those with low dimensional (1-D or 2-D) structures, so as to generate different intra- and interchain coupling of magnetic vectors. Such couplings can induce standing electric dipoles and perpendicular magnetic vectors leading to magnetoelectrics. This project will attempt to generalize the factors that cause such multiferroic behavior and design and synthesize new systems displaying more complex coupling. One important factor in the program is the collaboration with the neutron scattering facilities Oak Ridge National Lab. The initial focus will be on the elastic neutron scattering measurements to determine the static magnetic structures, followed by more complex inelastic measurements to determine coupling values. The ability to grow large single crystals is particularly important to understand the behavior of the magnetic structures in externally applied magnetic fields. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.