Electronic reconstruction of hexagonal FeS: A view from density functional dynamical mean-field theory

Abstract

We present a detailed study of correlation-and pressure-induced electronic reconstruction in hexagonal iron monosulfide, a system which is widely found in meteorites and one of the components of Earth's core. Based on a perusal of experimental data, we stress the importance of multi-orbital electron-electron interactions in concert with first-principles band structure calculations for a consistent understanding of its intrinsic Mott-Hubbard insulating state. We explain the anomalous nature of pressure-induced insulator-metal-insulator transition seen in experiment, showing that it is driven by dynamical spectral weight transfer in response to changes in the crystal-field splittings under pressure. As a byproduct of this analysis, we confirm that the electronic transitions observed in pristine FeS at moderated pressures are triggered by changes in the spin state which causes orbitalselective Kondo quasiparticle electronic reconstruction at low energies.