Spin, charge and lattice correlations in Correlated Electron Systems

Unconventional superconductors and other quantum materials glean their unique properties from the interplay between the collective excitation of spin, charge and the crystal lattice. This project is to study these excitations and correlations using scattering techniques. Collective excitations have traditionally been studied using neutrons scattering and non-resonant x-ray scattering. However, resonant inelastic x-ray spectroscopy (RIXS) is a new and extraordinarily powerful tool which can probe spin excitations, charge excitations, phonons, and their mutual coupling. In this project we will use the state of-the-art (resonant inelastic x-ray spectroscopy) RIXS i21 facility at Diamond, together with other neutron and x-ray facilities to investigate novel and topical quantum materials such as the cuprate superconductors La2-xSrxCuO4, YBa2Cu3O6+x, Bi2Sr2-xLaxCuO6+x and correlated electron systems such as ruthenates and nickelates. The aim is to determine how the excitations mentioned above are related to the physical properties of these systems and to develop the RIXS as a probe of novel electronic materials by making quantitative comparisons with theory.