Imaging the Insulator Metal transition in Ca2RuO4 with hyperspectral coherent diffractive imaging

We propose to use hyperspectral coherent diffractive imaging (HCDI) to perform nanoscale spectroscopy on the temperature-induced insulator-metal transition (IMT) in Ca2RuO4, a Mott insulator that is highly susceptible to IMTs induced not only by temperature but also by strain, electric fields, and currents. We will determine the size, nucleation, and growth mechanisms for nanodomains and characterize the electronic changes accompanying the IMT. The experiment is essential for future studies of the IMT triggered by other parameters and the results will impact a range of fields, from fundamental physics of strongly correlated materials to neuromorphic computing.