Interplay between disorder and electronic correlations in compositionally complex alloys.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Condensed Matter Physics
• Solid State Chemistry

Background:

• Compositionally complex alloys, including high-entropy alloys, possess unique transport properties.
• The influence of chemical disorder and electronic correlations on their electronic structure is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate the interplay between chemical disorder and electronic correlations in the CrMnFeCoNi alloy.
• Elucidate the impact of these interactions on the material's electronic structure and properties.

Main Methods:

• Employed resonant and valence band photoemission spectroscopy.
• Conducted electrical resistivity and optical conductivity measurements.
• Utilized density functional theory and dynamical mean-field theory calculations.

Main Results:

• Identified signatures of electronic correlations and many-body effects, especially away from the Fermi level.
• Found that electronic transport is primarily governed by disorder and short-range order at low temperatures.
• Observed that optical conductivity and high-temperature transport are affected by quasiparticle lifetimes.

Conclusions:

• Electronic correlations play a significant role in the properties of complex alloys.
• Disorder and many-body effects are crucial for understanding these materials.
• Findings aid in designing advanced materials with tunable electronic characteristics.