Novel dynamical effects and glassy response in strongly correlated electronic system

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery of unconventional phase nucleation and glassy dynamics in a strongly correlated electronic system, revealing complex interplay of structural, magnetic, and electronic factors.

Contribution

It introduces a novel nucleation mechanism of a paramagnetic metallic phase from an antiferromagnetic insulator, with detailed analysis of the resulting glassy relaxation behavior.

Findings

Resistivity decreases by several orders during phase transition.

Observation of slow, nonexponential relaxation and aging phenomena.

Identification of competing interactions causing frustration in phase nucleation.

Abstract

We find an unconventional nucleation of low temperature paramagnetic metal (PMM) phase with monoclinic structure from the matrix of high-temperature antiferromagnetic insulator (AFI) phase with tetragonal structure in strongly correlated electronic system $BaCo_{0.9}Ni_{0.1}S_{1.97}$. Such unconventional nucleation leads to a decease in resistivity by several orders with relaxation at a fixed temperature without external perturbation. The novel dynamical process could arise from the competition of strain fields, Coulomb interactions, magnetic correlations and disorders. Such competition may frustrate the nucleation, giving rise to a slow, nonexponential relaxation and "physical aging" behavior.