Successive semiconductor-metal-insulator transition in the mixed-valent oxide
Phys. Rev. B 114, 065116 – Published 13 July, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/6yss-m3s3
Abstract
A High-quality single crystal of was grown using the floating-zone method, enabling a precise investigation of its electronic phase transitions. Temperature-dependent resistivity measurements reveal two successive semiconductor-metal-insulator transitions at and , which are identified via specific heat and thermal expansion data as the emergence of a charge-averaged (CA) phase and the formation of a trimeron in the charge-ordered (CO) phase in , respectively. Our results demonstrate that the occurrences of CO and CA phases in exhibit a competitive relationship instead of forming simultaneously. Under applied pressure, the metal behavior vanishes above 0.13 GPa, with exhibiting pure semiconductor/insulator behavior. This means that pressure stabilizes the CO phase in by prompting the formation of a trimeron, offering an alternative route to control competing electronic orders in mixed-valent oxides.