$c$-axis strain tuning of superconductivity and symmetric elastoresistivity in CsV$_3$Sb$_5$

Abstract

The kagome metal CsV$_{3}$Sb$_{5}$ hosts an intriguing interplay between charge-density-wave (CDW) order and superconductivity that is highly sensitive to lattice distortions. However, determining the specific roles of the in-plane ($A_{1g,1}$) and out-of-plane ($A_{1g,2}$) symmetric strain channels has been hindered by their intrinsic mixing in conventional piezo-based experiments. Here, we combine in-plane uniaxial strain with direct $c$-axis compression to independently access and disentangle these symmetry-resolved responses in CsV$_{3}$Sb$_{5}$. We reveal that $c$-axis compression drives a massive, linear enhancement of the superconducting transition temperature ($T_c$) alongside a suppression of $T_{\rm CDW}$. The tuning efficiency of this out-of-plane deformation acts with an opposite sign and far exceeds that of in-plane strain, demonstrating that $c$-axis lattice control dictates the phase competition. Furthermore, by isolating the pure elastoresistivity coefficients, we find that the out-of-plane cross-coupling coefficient ($m_{13}$) is comparable in magnitude but opposite in sign to the in-plane response ($m_{11}+m_{12}$). Unlike the sharply peaked in-plane response, $m_{13}$ exhibits a distinct, order-parameter-like onset across the CDW transition. Our results establish that out-of-plane lattice control plays a dominant role in tuning the intertwined states in CsV$_{3}$Sb$_{5}$ and provide a general pathway for resolving strain-coupled electronic responses in layered quantum materials.