A research team from Seoul National University has successfully induced Mott metal-insulator transitions through controlled electronic interactions, marking a significant advancement in neuromorphic semiconductors.
Seoul National University (SNU), led by Professor Jang Young-joon and in collaboration with Dr. Eli Rotenberg from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, has achieved a groundbreaking success in controlling Mott transitions within a heterojunction thin film of lanthanum titanate (LaTiO3). Published in the January 2026 issue of Communications Materials, this work highlights an innovative approach to induce these transitions not through traditional external stimuli like doping or temperature but rather by precisely manipulating the Coulomb interactions within the material based on changes in film thickness and charge movement. This marks a significant advancement in the field of condensed matter physics.
The team's methodology involved advanced experimental techniques such as angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and electron diffraction analysis, allowing for a systematic study of how thickness at the monolayer level influences electronic structures and phase transition characteristics. Professor Jang emphasized that the observed Mott transition in the titanium oxide heterojunction represents a new paradigm for controlling electronic interactions directly—a shift from previously established approaches of band gap modulation. This advancement provides a crucial physical basis for the development of non-volatile switching devices essential for neuromorphic AI semiconductors that mimic brain neural circuits, positioning this research as a potential breakthrough for next-generation artificial intelligence computational elements.
The research was supported by various initiatives from South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation, as well as the U.S. Department of Energy's reMIND program. It exemplifies international collaboration, integrating SNU's cutting-edge thin-film synthesis and spectroscopic analysis capabilities with Berkeley's high-level synchrotron experimental facilities and theory calculations expertise from Texas A&M and KIST, showcasing the synergy necessary for such scientific advancements.
