Interplay of strong correlations and covalency in ionic band insulators

Abstract

We address the role of electronic correlations in different kinds of band insulators by using the two-orbital Hubbard model within the dynamical mean-field theory (DMFT). An intriguing finding is that electronic correlations turn a metal into a band insulator when ionicity and covalency are equal in ratio.We conclude that the electronic correlations favour metallicity when the covalency is smaller than the ionicity, while they favour insulating behaviour when the covalency is greater than ionicity.