PERSPECTIVE: Emergent phases in rare earth nickelate heterostructures

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent discoveries of emergent phenomena at interfaces in rare-earth nickelate heterostructures, highlighting complex behaviors and future research directions in Mott and topological phases.

Contribution

It provides a concise overview of emergent phenomena in $RE$NiO$_3$ heterostructures and suggests future research avenues involving time-domain dynamics.

Findings

Emergent phenomena at $RE$NiO$_3$ interfaces

Complexity of bulk $RE$NiO$_3$ behaviors

Potential for new Mott and topological phases

Abstract

The prediction of high $T_c$ superconductivity in layers of LaNiO$_3$ through orbital engineering has led to extensive research efforts over the last fifteen years. During this period, a plethora of thin films and heterostructures based rare-earth nickelate family with perovskite structure has been synthesized and explored. In this short perspective, we briefly review the complexity of bulk $RE$NiO$_3$, spotlighting several recent findings of emergent phenomena in heterostructures containing the interface between $RE$NiO$_3$ and another transition metal oxide. Finally, we outline potentially interesting future directions linked to time-domain dynamics to harness new Mott and topological phases in artificial structures of $RE$NiO$_3$.