Intrinsic three-dimensional topology in <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:msub><mml:mi mathvariant="normal">SrNbO</mml:mi><mml:mn>3</mml:mn></mml:msub></mml:math> films
Transition metal oxides, with their wide range of electronic and magnetic properties, offer a remarkable platform for developing future electronics based on unconventional quantum phenomena, such as topological phases. The formation of topologically nontrivial states is linked to crystalline symmetry, spin-orbit coupling, and magnetic ordering. Here, by employing angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we demonstrated that intrinsic octahedral rotations in <a:math xmlns:a="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><a:msub><a:mi>SrNbO</a:mi><a:mn>3</a:mn></a:msub></a:math> films drive the emergence of non-trivial band topology. Specifically, ARPES reveals and diffraction data confirm the presence of in-phase <b:math xmlns:b="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><b:mrow><b:msup><b:mi>a</b:mi><b:mn>0</b:mn></b:msup><b:msup><b:mi>a</b:mi><b:mn>0</b:mn></b:msup><b:msup><b:mi>c</b:mi><b:mo>+</b:mo></b:msup></b:mrow></b:math> octahedral rotation, leading to the formation of topologically protected Dirac band crossings, giving rise to massless fermions in this system. Our study underscores the pivotal role of structural distortions in transition metal oxides, illustrating how they can be strategically harnessed to unlock and stabilize quantum topological states. This approach contributes to the broader understanding of quantum materials and their promising applications in advanced technologies.
Authors
- Alla Chikina (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3635-6503)
- Ekaterina V. Pomjakushina (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2446-3830)
- Songjie Huang
- F. Baumberger (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7104-7541)
- Nini Pryds (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5718-7924)
- Jike Lyu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8936-2125)
- W. H. Brito (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5092-9465)
- M. Shi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6090-8219)
- Elizabeth Skoropata (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8774-1594)
- Valerio Scagnoli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8116-8870)
- M. Medarde (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1588-2870)
- Victor Rosendal (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0620-009X)
- Mads Brandbyge (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0126-9824)
- M. Radović (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4042-9648)
- Dirch Hjorth Petersen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9309-4186)
- Marco Caputo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7452-0998)
- N. C. Plumb (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2334-8494)
- E. Müller (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8239-7109)
- U. Staub (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2035-3367)
- Eduardo B. Guedes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9638-0447)
- Hang Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3694-4463)
Institutions
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (BR)
- University of Geneva (CH)
- Paul Scherrer Institute (CH)
- ETH Zurich (CH)
- MAX IV Laboratory (SE)
- Zhejiang University (CN)
- Technical University of Denmark (DK)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Physical review. B./Physical review. B
- Published
- 2025-04-25
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.111.155146
- Primary Topic
- Electronic and Structural Properties of Oxides
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- TU Graz, Internationale Beziehungen und Mobilitätsprogramme
- European Commission
- Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung
- Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação
- Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
- Novo Nordisk
- Danmarks Frie Forskningsfond
- Novo Nordisk Fonden
- Centro Nacional de Processamento de Alto Desempenho em São Paulo
- Horizon 2020 Framework Programme
- H2020 European Research Council
- H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions