Unlocking Exotic Charge and Spin States in Layered Materials: A Dynamic Approach via Ion-Insertion

Layered two-dimensional (2D) and quasi-2D materials, along with their heterostructures, offer a diverse range of electronic, optical, and magnetic properties. The tunability of charge, spin, orbital, and lattice degrees of freedom in these materials, both through static and dynamic methods, provides numerous avenues for addressing fundamental questions and exploring diverse applications. Electrochemical ion-insertion in these van-der-Waals materials serves as a delicate tool to dynamically adjust their properties, potentially leading to the emergence of exotic electronic and spin states that might not be attainable through traditional synthesis methods. In this presentation, I will share our group's research on layered oxide materials where we induce exotic charge and spin states using electrochemical ion-insertion. These unique states challenge existing theoretical models and experimental observations. I will delve into the novel theoretical framework we have developed, underpinned by rigorous computational formalisms, and the distinctive magnetic, optical, and phonon properties observed experimentally.