Physics Colloquium, January 27, 2009
Mendeleev meets Fermi: Using the periodic table to manipulate the electrical and magnetic properties of complex perovskites Patrick M. Woodward

The Ohio State University, Department of Chemistry

Compounds that belong to the perovskite family exhibit remarkable versatility, both in terms of their chemical composition and their physical properties. Not only can one prepare perovskites containing elements ranging from hydrogen to plutonium, the physical properties of perovskites are incredibly varied. Superconductivity, ferrolectricity, piezoelectricity, ferromagnetism, antiferromagnetism, colossal magnetoresistance, half-metallicity, proton conductivity can all be found in members of the perovskite family. In this talk I will explore the synthesis, structure and properties of two families of complex perovskites. The first group, the A2MM'O6 double perovskites, tends toward high electrical conductivity and magnetic ordering. These compounds are of interest for their half-metallicity as well as strong coupling between orbital and spin ordering. The second group, ALnMM'O₆ (A = Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Ln = rare-earth cation) perovskites, are insulators. They are of interest for their magnetic ordering and dielectric properties.

Dr. Woodward's Web Site

4:00 p.m., Physics Research Building (PRB), Room 1080

Reception at 3:45 p.m., Atrium, PRB