Controllable chirality-induced geometrical Hall effect in a frustrated highly correlated metal

Nat Commun. 2012:3:1067. doi: 10.1038/ncomms2075.

Abstract

A current of electrons traversing a landscape of localized spins possessing non-coplanar magnetic order gains a geometrical (Berry) phase, which can lead to a Hall voltage independent of the spin-orbit coupling within the material-a geometrical Hall effect. Here we show that the highly correlated metal UCu(5) possesses an unusually large controllable geometrical Hall effect at T<1.2 K due to its frustration-induced magnetic order. The magnitude of the Hall response exceeds 20% of the ν=1 quantum Hall effect per atomic layer, which translates into an effective magnetic field of several hundred Tesla acting on the electrons. The existence of such a large geometric Hall response in UCu(5) opens a new field of enquiry into the importance of the role of frustration in highly correlated electron materials.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.