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Abstract:
Spin-orbit coupling results in technologically-crucial phenomena
underlying magnetic devices like magnetic memories and energy-efficient
motors. In heavy element materials, the strength of spin-orbit coupling
becomes large to affect the overall electronic nature and induces novel
states such as topological insulators and spin-orbit-integrated Mott
states. Here we report an unprecedented charge-ordering cascade in IrTe2
without the loss of metallicity, which involves localized spin-orbit
Mott states with diamagnetic Ir4+-Ir4+ dimers. The cascade in cooling,
uncompensated in heating, consists of first order-type consecutive
transitions from a pure Ir3(+) phase to Ir3+-Ir4(+) charge-ordered
phases, which originate from Ir 5d to Te 5p charge transfer involving
anionic polymeric bond breaking. Considering that the system exhibits
superconductivity with suppression of the charge order by doping,
analogously to cuprates, these results provide a new electronic paradigm
of localized charge-ordered states interacting with itinerant electrons
through large spin-orbit coupling.
