arXiv subjects

S. A. Grigera

Publications and source records attributed to S. A. Grigera.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2012

Quantum criticality and the formation of a putative electronic liquid crystal in Sr3Ru2O7

We present a brief review of the physical properties of Sr3Ru2O7, in which the approach to a magnetic-field-tuned quantum critical point is cut off by the formation of a novel phase with transport characteristics consistent with those of a nematic electronic liquid crystal. Our goal is to summarize the physics that led to that conclusion being drawn, describing the key experiments and discussing the theoretical approaches that have been adopted. Throughout the review we also attempt to highlight observations that are not yet understood, and to discuss the future challenges that will need to be addressed by both experiment and theory.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2011

Sr3Ru2O7: Thermodynamics of Phase Formation in a Quantum Critical Metal

The behaviour of matter near zero temperature continuous phase transitions, or 'quantum critical points' (QCPs) is a central topic of study in condensed matter physics. In fermionic systems, fundamental questions remain unanswered: the nature of the quantum critical regime is unclear because of the apparent breakdown of the concept of the quasiparticle, a cornerstone of existing theories of strongly interacting metals. Even less is known experimentally about the formation of ordered phases from such a quantum critical 'soup'. Here, we report a study of the specific heat across the phase diagram of the model system Sr3Ru2O7, which features an anomalous phase whose transport properties are consistent with those of an electronic nematic. We show that this phase, which exists at low temperatures in a narrow range of magnetic fields, forms directly from a quantum critical state, and contains more entropy than mean-field calculations predict. Our results suggest that this extra entropy is due to remnant degrees of freedom from the highly entropic state above T_c. The associated quantum critical point, which is 'concealed' by the nematic phase, separates two Fermi liquids, neither of which has an identifiable spontaneously broken symmetry, but which likely differ in the topology of their Fermi surfaces.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2011

Quantum critical metamagnetism of Sr3Ru2O7 under hydrostatic pressure

Using ac susceptibility, we have determined the pressure dependence of the metamagnetic critical end point temperature T* for field applied in the ab-plane in the itinerant metamagnet Sr3Ru2O7. We find that T* falls monotonically to zero as pressure increases, producing a quantum critical end point (QCEP) at Pc~13.6 kbar. New features are observed near the QCEP -- the slope of T* vs pressure changes at ~12.8 kbar, and weak subsidiary maxima appear on either side of the main susceptibility peak at pressures near Pc -- indicating that some new physics comes into play near the QCEP. Clear signatures of a nematic phase, however, that were seen in field-angle tuning of T*, are not observed. As T* is suppressed by pressure, the metamagnetic peak in the susceptibility remains sharp as a function of applied magnetic field. As a function of temperature, however, the peak becomes broad with only a very weak maximum, suggesting that, near the QCEP, the uniform magnetization density is not the order parameter for the metamagnetic transition.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2010

Dirac Strings and Magnetic Monopoles in Spin Ice Dy2Ti2O7

While sources of magnetic fields - magnetic monopoles - have so far proven elusive as elementary particles, several scenarios have been proposed recently in condensed matter physics of emergent quasiparticles resembling monopoles. A particularly simple proposition pertains to spin ice on the highly frustrated pyrochlore lattice. The spin ice state is argued to be well-described by networks of aligned dipoles resembling solenoidal tubes - classical, and observable, versions of a Dirac string. Where these tubes end, the resulting defect looks like a magnetic monopole. We demonstrate, by diffuse neutron scattering, the presence of such strings in the spin-ice Dy2Ti2O7. This is achieved by applying a symmetry-breaking magnetic field with which we can manipulate density and orientation of the strings. In turn, heat capacity is described by a gas of magnetic monopoles interacting via a magnetic Coulomb interaction.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2010

Unconventional magnetization processes and thermal runaway in spin-ice Dy$_2$Ti$_2$O$_7$

We investigate the non-equilibrium behavior of the spin-ice material Dy$_2$Ti$_2$O$_7$ by studying its magnetization as a function of the rate at which an external field is swept. At temperatures below the enigmatic "freezing" temperature $T_{\rm equil}\approx600$ mK, we find that even the slowest sweeps fail to yield the equilibrium magnetization curve and instead give a smooth, initially much flatter curve. For higher sweep rates, the magnetization develops sharp steps accompanied by similarly sharp peaks in the temperature of the sample. We ascribe the former behavior to the energy barriers encountered in the magnetization process, which proceeds via flipping of spins on filaments traced out by the field-driven motion of the gapped, long-range interacting magnetic monopole excitations. In contrast, the peaks in temperature result from the released Zeeman energy not being carried away efficiently into the bath, with the resulting heating triggering a chain reaction.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2010

Quantum oscillations near the metamagnetic transition in Sr3Ru2O7

We report detailed investigation of quantum oscillations in Sr3Ru2O7, observed inductively (the de Haas-van Alphen effect) and thermally (the magnetocaloric effect). Working at fields from 3 T to 18 T allowed us to straddle the metamagnetic transition region and probe the low- and high-field Fermi liquids. The observed frequencies are strongly field-dependent in the vicinity of the metamagnetic transition, and there is evidence for magnetic breakdown. We also present the results of a comprehensive rotation study. The most surprising result concerns the field dependence of the measured quasiparticle masses. Contrary to conclusions previously drawn by some of us as a result of a study performed with a much poorer signal to noise ratio, none of the five Fermi surface branches for which we have good field-dependent data gives evidence for a strong field dependence of the mass. The implications of these experimental findings are discussed.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2010

Magnetic analogue of the LOFF phase in Sr3Ru2O7

The phase diagram of Sr3Ru2O7 contains a metamagnetic transition that bifurcates to enclose an anomalous phase with intriguing properties - a large resistivity with anisotropy that breaks the crystal-lattice symmetry. We propose that this is a magnetic analogue of the spatially inhomogeneous superconducting Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov state. Based on a microscopic theory of Stoner magnetism we derive a Ginzburg-Landau expansion where the magnetisation transverse to the applied field can become spatially inhomogeneous. We show that this reproduces the observed phase diagram of Sr3Ru2O7.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2010

Quantum oscillations in the anomalous phase in Sr3Ru2O7

We report measurements of quantum oscillations detected in the putative nematic phase of Sr3Ru2O7. Significant improvements in sample purity enabled the resolution of small amplitude dHvA oscillations between two first order metamagnetic transitions delimiting the phase. Two distinct frequencies were observed, and their amplitudes follow the normal Lifshitz-Kosevich profile. The Fermi surface sheets seem to correspond to a subset of those detected outside the phase. Variations of the dHvA frequencies are explained in terms of a chemical potential shift produced by reaching a peak in the density of states, and an anomalous field dependence of the oscillatory amplitude provides information on domains.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2009

Heavy d-Electron Quasiparticle Interference and Real-space Electronic Structure of Sr3Ru2O7

The intriguing idea that strongly interacting electrons can generate spatially inhomogeneous electronic liquid crystalline phases is over a decade old, but these systems still represent an unexplored frontier of condensed matter physics. One reason is that visualization of the many-body quantum states generated by the strong interactions, and of the resulting electronic phases, has not been achieved. Soft condensed matter physics was transformed by microscopies that allowed imaging of real-space structures and patterns. A candidate technique for obtaining equivalent data in the purely electronic systems is Spectroscopic Imaging Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (SI-STM). The core challenge is to detect the tenuous but 'heavy' k-space components of the many-body electronic state simultaneously with its r-space constituents. Sr3Ru2O7 provides a particularly exciting opportunity to address these issues. It possesses (i) a very strongly renormalized 'heavy' d-electron Fermi liquid and (ii) exhibits a field-induced transition to an electronic liquid crystalline phase. Finally, as a layered compound, it can be cleaved to present an excellent surface for SI-STM.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2009

Inhomogeneous magnetic phases: a LOFF-like phase in Sr3Ru2O7

The phase diagram of Sr3Ru2O7 contains a metamagnetic transition that bifurcates to enclose an anomalous phase with intriguing properties - a large resistivity with anisotropy that breaks the crystal-lattice symmetry. We propose that this is a magnetic analogue of the spatially inhomogeneous superconducting Fulde-Ferrel-Larkin-Ovchinnikov state. We show - through a Ginzburg-Landau expansion where the magnetisation transverse to the applied field can become spatially inhomogeneous - that a Stoner model with electronic band dispersion can reproduce this phase diagram and transport behaviour.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2006

Formation of a Nematic Fluid at High Fields in Sr3Ru2O7

In principle, a complex assembly of strongly interacting electrons can self-organise into a wide variety of collective states, but relatively few such states have been identified in practice. We report that, in the close vicinity of a metamagnetic quantum critical point, high purity Sr3Ru2O7 possesses a large magnetoresistive anisotropy, consistent with the existence of an electronic nematic fluid. We discuss a striking phenomenological similarity between our observations and those made in high purity two-dimensional electron fluids in GaAs devices.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2005

Phase Bifurcation and Quantum Fluctuations in Sr3Ru2O7

The bilayer ruthenate Sr_3Ru_2O_7 has been cited as a textbook example of itinerant metamagnetic quantum criticality. However, recent studies of the ultra-pure system have revealed striking anomalies in magnetism and transport in the vicinity of the quantum critical point. Drawing on new experimental data, we propose that the anomalous phase behavior can be accommodated by a mechanism which relies on the effects of strong magnetoelastic coupling. We argue that the phenomenological theory identified here is more generic and raises the possibility of quantum tricritical behaviour.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2004

The de Haas-van Alphen effect across the metamagnetic transition in Sr$_3$Ru$_2$O$_7$

We report a study of the de Haas-van Alphen (dHvA) effect on the itinerant metamagnet Sr$_3$Ru$_2$O$_7$. Extremely high sample purity allows the observation of dHvA oscillations both above and below the metamagnetic transition field of 7.9 T. The quasiparticle masses are fairly large away from the transition, and are enhanced by up to an extra factor of three as the transition is approached, but the Fermi surface topography change is quite small. The results are qualitatively consistent with a field-induced Stoner transition in which the mass enhancement is the result of critical fluctuations.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2004

Rigid-Band Shift of the Fermi Level in a Strongly Correlated Metal: Sr(2-y)La(y)RuO(4)

We report a systematic study of electron doping of Sr2RuO4 by non-isovalent substitution of La^(3+) for Sr^(2+). Using a combination of de Haas-van Alphen oscillations, specific heat, and resistivity measurements, we show that electron doping leads to a rigid-band shift of the Fermi level corresponding to one doped electron per La ion, with constant many-body quasiparticle mass enhancement over the band mass. The susceptibility spectrum is substantially altered and enhanced by the doping but this has surprisingly little effect on the strength of the unconventional superconducting pairing.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2004

Multiple first-order metamagnetic transitions and quantum oscillations in ultrapure

We present measurements on ultra clean single crystals of the bilayered ruthenate metal Sr3Ru2O7, which has a magnetic-field-tuned quantum critical point. Quantum oscillations of differing frequencies can be seen in the resistivity both below and above its metamagnetic transition. This frequency shift corresponds to a small change in the Fermi surface volume that is qualitatively consistent with the small moment change in the magnetisation across the metamagnetic transition. Very near the metamagnetic field, unusual behaviour is seen. There is a strong enhancement of the resistivity in a narrow field window, with a minimum in the resistivity as a function of temperature below 1 K that becomes more pronounced as the disorder level decreases. The region of anomalous behaviour is bounded at low temperatures by two first-order phase transitions. The implications of the results are discussed. PACS: 68.35.Rh, 71.27.+a, 72.15.-v, 74.70.Pq

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2003

Momentum Resolved tunneling in a Luttinger Liquid

We consider momentum resolved tunneling between a Luttinger liquid and a two dimensional electron gas as a function of transverse magnetic field. We include the effects of an anomalous exponent and Zeeman splitting on both the Luttinger liquid and the two dimensional electron gas. We show that there are six dispersing features that should be observed in magneto-tunneling, in contrast with the four features that would be seen in a non-interacting one dimensional electron gas. The strength of these features varies with the anomalous exponent, being most pronounced when $γ_ρ=0$. We argue that this measurement provides an important experimental signature of spin-charge separation.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2003

Angular dependence of the magnetic susceptibility in the itinerant metamagnet Sr3Ru2O7

We report the results of a study of the di erential magnetic susceptibility of Sr3Ru2O7 as a function of temperature and magnetic elds applied at a series of angles to the ab plane. By analysing the real and imaginary parts of the susceptibility, we conclude that the eld angle acts as a continuous tuning parameter for the critical end-point to a line of rst order metamagnetic phase transitions. The end-point sits at approximately 1.25K for elds applied in the ab plane, and is depressed to below 50 mK when the eld is aligned within 10 of the c axis.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2001

Metamagnetic Quantum Criticality

A renormalization group treatment of metamagnetic quantum criticality in metals is presented. In clean systems the universality class is found to be of the overdamped, conserving (dynamical exponent z=3) Ising type. Detailed results are obtained for the field and temperature dependence of physical quantities including the differential susceptibility, resistivity and specific heat near the transition. An application of the theory is made to Sr3Ru2O7, which appears to exhibit a metamagnetic critical end-point at a very low temperature and a field of order 5-7T.

cond-mat.str-el↗