Direct observation of electron density reconstruction at the metal-insulator transition in NaOsO3

Abstract

The $5d$ transition-metal oxides offer further opportunities to test our understanding of the interplay of correlation effects and spin-orbit interactions in materials in the absence of a single dominant interaction. The subtle balance between solid-state interactions can result in mechanisms that minimize the interaction energy, and in material properties of potential use for applications. We focus here on the $5d$ transition-metal oxide $\mathrm{NaOs}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$, a strong candidate for the realization of a magnetically driven transition from a metallic to an insulating state exploiting the so-called Slater mechanism. Experimental results are derived from nonresonant and resonant x-ray single-crystal diffraction at the Os $L$ edges. A change in the crystallographic symmetry does not accompany the metal-insulator transition in the Slater mechanism and, indeed, we find no evidence of such a change in $\mathrm{NaOs}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$. An equally important experimental observation is the emergence of the (300) Bragg peak in the resonant condition with the onset of magnetic order. The intensity of this space-group-forbidden Bragg peak continuously increases with decreasing temperature in line with the square of intensity observed for an allowed magnetic Bragg peak. Our main experimental results, the absence of crystal symmetry breaking, and the emergence of a space-group-forbidden Bragg peak with developing magnetic order, support the use of the Slater mechanism to interpret the metal-insulator transition in $\mathrm{NaOs}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$. We successfully describe our experimental results with simulations of the electronic structure and with an atomic model based on the established symmetry of the crystal and magnetic structure.