Dr. Martin Bluschke

wins Springer Thesis Prize

Collective quantum phenomena of correlated electrons are central topics of research in condensed matter physics. Martin Bluschke has exploited chemical and epitaxial degrees of freedom to manipulate charge and spin ordering phenomena in two families of transition metal oxides, while taking advantage of state-of-the-art resonant x-ray scattering (RXS) methods to characterize their microscopic origin in a comprehensive manner. In copper-oxide thin films, he discovered an unusual three-dimensionally long-range-ordered charge density wave state that persists well above room temperature, much higher than charge-ordered states in other high-temperature superconductors [Nature Communications 9, 2978 (2018)].

By combining crystallographic and spectroscopic measurements, he was able to trace the origin of this phenomenon to the epitaxial relationship with the underlying substrate. His discovery opens new perspectives for the investigation of charge order and its influence on the electronic properties of the cuprates.

In a second set of RXS experiments on superlattices with alternating nickel and dysprosium oxides, he discovered several temperature- and magnetic-field-induced magnetic phase transitions. He was able to explain these observations in a model based on transfer of magnetic order and magneto-crystalline anisotropy between the Ni and Dy subsystems, thus establishing a novel model system for the interplay between transition-metal and rare-earth magnetism [Physical Review Letters 118, 207203 (2017)].

In December 2019, Martin graduated with distinction from the Technical University of Berlin. The prize he received implies that this doctoral thesis will be published as a book in the Springer Theses series.