ARPES: A probe of electronic correlations

TL;DR

ARPES is a powerful experimental technique that provides direct insights into the electronic structure of complex solids, especially transition metal oxides, revealing novel physics beyond simple models.

Contribution

This paper reviews the theoretical foundations, current capabilities, and key case studies demonstrating ARPES's role in uncovering electronic correlations in complex oxides.

Findings

ARPES effectively probes electronic correlations in transition metal oxides.

Revealed novel physics in 3d-, 4d-, and 5d-based oxides.

Highlights the importance of ARPES in condensed matter research.

Abstract

Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) is one of the most direct methods of studying the electronic structure of solids. By measuring the kinetic energy and angular distribution of the electrons photoemitted from a sample illuminated with sufficiently high-energy radiation, one can gain information on both the energy and momentum of the electrons propagating inside a material. This is of vital importance in elucidating the connection between electronic, magnetic, and chemical structure of solids, in particular for those complex systems which cannot be appropriately described within the independent-particle picture. Among the various classes of complex systems, of great interest are the transition metal oxides, which have been at the center stage in condensed matter physics for the last four decades. Following a general introduction to the topic, we will lay the theoretical basis needed to understand the pivotal role of ARPES in the study of such systems. After a brief overview on the state-of-the-art capabilities of the technique, we will review some of the most interesting and relevant case studies of the novel physics revealed by ARPES in 3d-, 4d- and 5d-based oxides.