Scale-invariant magnetic textures in the strongly correlated oxide NdNiO3

Strongly correlated quantum solids are characterized by an inherently granular electronic fabric, with spatial patterns that can span multiple length scales in proximity to a critical point. Here, we use a resonant magnetic X-ray scattering nanoprobe with sub-100 nm spatial resolution to directly visualize the texture of antiferromagnetic domains in NdNiO 3 . Surprisingly, our measurements reveal a highly textured magnetic fabric, which we show to be robust and nonvolatile even after thermal erasure across its ordering temperature. The scale-free distribution of antiferromagnetic domains and its non-integral dimensionality point to a hitherto-unobserved magnetic fractal geometry in this system. These scale-invariant textures directly reflect the continuous nature of the magnetic transition and the proximity of this system to a critical point. The present study not only exposes the near-critical behavior in rare earth nickelates but also underscores the potential for X-ray scattering nanoprobes to image the multiscale signatures of criticality near a critical point. The many strongly interacting degrees of freedom in transition metal oxides make it difficult to capture and describe the nature of their metal-insulator transitions. Li et al. show that a resonant magnetic X-ray nanoprobe gives access to local critical behavior that is difficult to detect otherwise.