Observation of spin-orbit insulator-like behavior in LaOBiS$_{2-x}$F$_x$ (0.05 $\leq$ $x$ $\leq$ 0.2)

TL;DR

This study investigates how electron doping via fluorine substitution affects the structure and electrical properties of LaOBiS$_{2-x}$F$_x$, revealing spin-orbit insulator-like behavior at specific doping levels.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the structural and electronic effects of fluorine doping in LaOBiS$_2$, highlighting spin-orbit coupling's role in inducing insulating behavior.

Findings

F doping causes c-axis shrinkage and selective substitution at apical sites.

Electrical resistivity becomes temperature-independent then insulating with doping.

Weak, temperature-independent diamagnetism observed in LaOBiS$_{1.9}$F$_{0.1}$.

Abstract

We report the effects of electron doping on the crystal structure and electrical resistivity of LaOBiS$_{2-x}$F$_x$ (0.05 $\leq$ $x$ $\leq$ 0.2). The $ab$ plane is found to be relatively insensitive to the amount of F, whereas the $c$ axis shrinks continuously with increasing $x$, suggesting that the doped F atoms substitute selectively into the apical sites in the BiS$_2$ layer. At $x$ = 0.10, as the temperature is decreased from room temperature, the electrical resistivity is temperature-independent from room temperature to 285 K, increases linearly with decreasing temperature from 285 K to 205 K and then shows obvious insulating behavior below 205 K, which may be due to strong spin-orbit coupling. LaOBiS$_{1.9}$F$_{0.1}$ shows the significantly weak and temperature-independent diamagnetism without any evident anomalies caused by a phase transition.