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Light-induced metal-insulator transition in a switchable mirror
A F Hoekstra1, A S Roy, T F Rosenbaum
1The James Franck Institute and Department of Physics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|June 1, 2001
Summary
Rare earth hydride films switch between metallic and insulating states with hydrogen pressure. Persistent photoconductivity offers a new way to tune yttrium hydride through its metal-insulator transition, even at low temperatures.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics
Background:
- Rare earth hydride films exhibit reversible transitions between metallic and insulating states controlled by hydrogen gas pressure at room temperature.
- In situ doping via hydrogen diffusion is hindered at low temperatures due to limited hydrogen mobility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate a novel method for tuning yttrium hydride through its temperature (T) = 0 metal-insulator transition.
- To explore the potential of persistent photoconductivity for low-temperature material property control.
Main Methods:
- Utilized conductivity and Hall measurements to analyze the behavior of yttrium hydride films.
- Investigated the phenomenon of persistent photoconductivity under ultraviolet illumination.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated persistent photoconductivity in yttrium hydride films under ultraviolet light, enabling tuning through the metal-insulator transition.
- Determined critical exponents associated with the transition.
- Observed an unusually large product of static and dynamical critical exponents.
Conclusions:
- Persistent photoconductivity provides a viable route for tuning yttrium hydride across the metal-insulator transition at low temperatures.
- The large critical exponent product suggests significant contributions from electron-electron interactions in this transition.