Alladi Ramakrishnan Hall

Electrical field-assisted melting: Quantum and classical phenomena at oxide layers on metals

K. Ragavendran

IMSc

Metals possess an inbuilt protective system which saves the metallic
structure from the deteriorating effects of corrosion. This protection
originates from an oxide film of thickness few nano-meters over the metal,
known as the passivating layer, which acts as a barrier layer and protects
the metal from attack by corrosion-causing agents in the environment. We
present our very recent work (mostly performed at IMSc) on field-assisted
melting of the barrier oxide by clustering of anionic and cationic defects
supplied by defect generation reactions at the metal-barrier-oxide and the
barrier-oxide-electrolyte interfaces. In this background we discuss some
interesting possibilities inside the barrier: Mott physics and high Tc
superconducting patches.