Optical Properties of the Infinite-Layer La 1-x Sr x NiO 2 and Hidden Hund's Physics
We investigate the optical properties of the normal state of the infinite-layer La 1-x Sr x NiO 2 using density functional theory plus dynamical mean-field theory. We find a correlated metal which exhibits substantial transfer of spectral weight to high energies relative to the density functional theory. The correlations are not due to Mott physics, which would suppress the charge fluctuations and the integrated optical spectral weight as we approach a putative insulating state. Instead, we find the unusual situation, that the integrated optical spectral weight decreases with doping and increases with increasing temperature. We contrast this with the coherent component of the optical conductivity, which decreases with increasing temperature as a result of a coherence-incoherence crossover. Our studies reveal that the effective crystal field splitting is dynamical and increases strongly at low frequency. This leads to a picture of a Hund's metallic state, where dynamical orbital fluctuations are visible at intermediate energies, while at low energies a Fermi surface with primarily d x 2 -y 2 character emerges. The infinite-layer nickelates are thus in an intermediate position between the iron based high temperature superconductors where multiorbital Hund's physics dominates and a one-band system such as the cuprates. To capture this physics we propose a low-energy two-band model with atom centered e g states.