Hubbard dimer physics and the magnetostructural transition in the correlated cluster material Nb3Cl8
Abstract
Abstract We present a combined computational and experimental study of Nb 3 Cl 8 , a correlated layered material containing Nb trimers, through the lens of competing intra- and intercluster interactions. Different proposed explanations for its magnetostructural transition, such as charge disproportionation, antiferromagnetic quenching, and interlayer singlet formation, are investigated in light of the various reported low-temperature structures. Our findings rule out the previously proposed charge-disproportionation, suggest an intricate interplay between Mott physics and the formation of interlayer singlets, and also hint at a possible explanation of the observed intratrimer scissoring distortion. We suggest that the physics of Nb 3 Cl 8 should be understood in the context of weakly coupled Hubbard dimers.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Inorganic Chemistry and Materials
Organic and Molecular Conductors Research
Iron-based superconductors research
Publication details
- Journal / source
- npj 2D Materials and Applications
- Publisher
- Springer Science and Business Media LLC
- Volume
- 10
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 74–74
- Publication date
- 20 May 2026
- Language
- EN