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arXiv · 1911.09504

Comprehensive Control of Metamagnetic Transition of Antiferromagnetic Mott Insulator Sr2IrO4 by in-situ Anisotropic Strain

H. Zhang·L. Hao·J. Yang·J. Mutch·Z. Liu·Q. Huang·K. Noordhoek·A. F. May·J. -H. Chu·J. W. Kim·P. J. Ryan·H. D. Zhou·Jian Liu
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Abstract

Metamagnetism in antiferromagnets exhibits distinct critical behaviors and dynamics when invoking spin reversal and rotation. Here we show a 0.05% anisotropic strain suffices to in-situ modulate the metamagnetic critical field of the Mott insulator Sr2IrO4 by over 50%, enabling electrical switching of the transition. Resonant x-ray scattering and model simulation reveal that the transition is completely tuned from the spin-flop to spin-flip type as the strain introduces C4-symmetry-breaking magnetic anisotropy. Simultaneous transport study indicates the metamagnetic responses are reflected in the large elasto- and magnetoconductance, highlighting the active charge degree of freedom in the spin-orbit-coupled Mott state and its potential for spin-electronics.

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H. Zhang, L. Hao, J. Yang, J. Mutch, Z. Liu, Q. Huang, K. Noordhoek, A. F. May, J. -H. Chu, J. W. Kim, P. J. Ryan, H. D. Zhou, Jian Liu. 2019-11-21. Comprehensive Control of Metamagnetic Transition of Antiferromagnetic Mott Insulator Sr2IrO4 by in-situ Anisotropic Strain. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202002451

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