Magnetic field affects electronic patterns in graphene

Researchers from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology and Hiroshima University have demonstrated that a small magnetic field can switch the electronic states of the quantum material CeTe₃ between striped and checkerboard patterns. This discovery, published in Nature Communications, highlights the role of magnetism in reorganizing electronic states in quantum materials.

CeTe₃, composed of cerium and tellurium atoms, shares some characteristics with graphene as a two-dimensional layered material with highly mobile electrons. However, unlike graphene, CeTe₃ features localized electrons on cerium sites that behave like tiny magnets due to their spin, allowing manipulation of electronic states via a magnetic field.

Using scanning tunneling microscopy, researchers mapped the electron arrangement within CeTe₃ at the atomic level. At near absolute zero, they observed a striped electronic pattern, which transformed into a checkerboard pattern upon applying a magnetic field. This transformation is attributed to electronic frustration, where electrons can organize into multiple low-energy patterns with no single preferred arrangement.

A second study, published in Physical Review B, explored the magnetic structure of CeTe₃ using neutron scattering. This research revealed a complex magnetic order at temperatures near absolute zero, with magnetic moments forming intricate repeating patterns. The periodicity of this magnetic structure aligns with the striped electronic state, indicating a close link between the magnetic and electronic structures.

The findings suggest that electronic frustration can be harnessed by coupling it with magnetism, providing a method to manipulate collective electronic states with a small magnetic field. This interplay could lead to new strategies for controlling electronic states in quantum materials, potentially impacting future quantum and spintronic technologies.