How electron correlations determine the magnetism and electronic excited states of transition metal oxide clusters

Knowing the role of electron correlations is crucial for understanding magnetism and electronic excitations of nanometer sized matter. This motivates the proposed detailed studies of small transition metal oxide clusters using a unique combination of cluster beam techniques involving magnetic deflection and relaxation dynamics after photo-excitation. Hereto we will use a Stern-Gerlach setup for measurements of magnetic moments and an ion storage ring setup for determining excited state energies and lifetimes. This will allow to gain fundamental knowledge on the emergence of these physical properties with size and will provide accurate benchmark data to test advanced computational approaches. Specifically in few atom transition metal oxide clusters, the 3d and 4s valence electrons of the transition metal experience delicate competition between delocalization by hybridization with the oxygen 2p states and Coulomb repulsion which tends to localize electrons at atomic sites.

Keywords:clusters, transition metal oxides, magnetism, decay mechanisms, electronic excited states

Disciplines:Applied mathematics in specific fields, Geophysics, Physical geography and environmental geoscience, Other earth sciences, Aquatic sciences, challenges and pollution, Geomatic engineering, Condensed matter physics and nanophysics, Atomic and molecular physics