Quantum Phenomena Emerging Near a Ferroelectric Critical Point in a Donor–Acceptor Organic Charge-Transfer Complex

When a second-order transition point is decreased to zero temperature, a continuous quantum phase transition between different ground states is realized at a quantum critical point (QCP). A recently synthesized organic charge-transfer complex, TTF-2,5-QBr 2 I 2 , provides a platform fo...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Fumitaka Kagawa, Sachio Horiuchi, Yoshinori Tokura
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2017-04-01
Series:Crystals
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/7/4/106
Description
Summary:When a second-order transition point is decreased to zero temperature, a continuous quantum phase transition between different ground states is realized at a quantum critical point (QCP). A recently synthesized organic charge-transfer complex, TTF-2,5-QBr 2 I 2 , provides a platform for the exploration of the quantum phenomena that accompany a ferroelectric QCP. Here, we summarize the recent results showing the quantum phenomena associated with the ferroelectric QCP in TTF-2,5-QBr 2 I 2 . Whereas the enhanced quantum fluctuations lead to quantitative changes in the critical exponents of the critical phenomena, they qualitatively change the nature of the domain-wall kinetics from thermally activated motion to temperature-independent tunneling motion. The present findings highlight the great influence of quantum fluctuations on the low-temperature physical properties and suggest that TTF-2,5-QBr 2 I 2 is a model system for the uniaxial ferroelectric QCP.
ISSN:2073-4352