How electrons behave in the materials is the most basic information to elucidate superconductivity, magnetism and ferroelectricity. Especially, distribution of electrons in the material is called "electron orbital", which plays an important role to determine the direction of electrons and how electrons interact. A research group led by Professor Sumio Ishihara at Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, and a research group led by Japan Atomic Energy Agency, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization and International Institute for Advanced Studies have developed a method of investigating distribution of excited electrons in the material using X-ray scattering.

 X-ray which is emitted from the ring of the synchrotron facility, called SPring-8, exhibits specific direction of vibration (polarization direction). In this study, the polarization of the X-ray which is emitted by irradiating the material has been investigated in detail to prove that it is possible to identify theoretically from and to which orbital electrons have been excited. We have also verified it using the material KCuF3. Polarization properties of Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering developed in this study enabled us to readily determine the electron orbital involved in various properties and functions, such as superconductivity, magnetism and ferroelectricity. The elucidation for the mechanism of them is expected to be accelerated.

 The research results have been published online in Rapid Communications in Physical Review B as Editors' Suggestion on June 14, 2011.

More information (Japanese)

[Contact]

Associate Professor Sumio Ishihara

Department of Physics Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University

TEL: +81-22-795-6436

Associate Senior Researcher Kenji Ishii

Japan Atomic Energy Agency

TEL: +81-791-58-2643