New ways to tune electrical conductivity revealed by electron interaction

New ways to tune electrical conductivity revealed by electron interaction: In compounds made from the heavier transition metals, the outermost electrons circle the atoms in the so-called ‘5d electron shell’, which is relatively distant from the core. For electrons that occupy this shell there is an unusually strong interaction between their magnetic property, called spin, and the orbital motion around the atomic nucleus. The energy of this spin–orbit interaction is as large as the electron’s energy of motion or the energy arising from the electrostatic interaction between the electrons. This has dramatic consequences on their electronic properties, according to Yunoki, who led the research team. “Literally anything can happen in 5d electron systems because of the subtle balance of those three fundamental energy scales.”