Electronic nematicity and its relation to quantum criticality in Sr_3Ru_2O_7 studied by thermal expansion

Abstract

We report high-resolution measurements of the in-plane thermal expansion anisotropy in the vicinity of the electronic nematic phase in Sr${}_3$Ru${}_2$O${}_7$ down to very low temperatures and in varying magnetic field orientation. For fields applied along the c-direction, a clear second-order phase transition is found at the nematic phase, with critical behavior compatible with the two-dimensional Ising universality class (although this is not fully conclusive). Measurements in a slightly tilted magnetic field reveal a broken four-fold in-plane rotational symmetry, not only within the nematic phase, but extending towards slightly larger fields. We also analyze the universal scaling behavior expected for a metamagnetic quantum critical point, which is realized outside the nematic region. The contours of the magnetostriction suggest a relation between quantum criticality and the nematic phase.

8 pages, 12 Figures, invited paper at QCNP 2012 conference

References in corpus (6)

• Quantum Criticality in Heavy Fermion Metals
• Evidence for an electron nematic phase transition in underdoped iron pnictide superconductors
• Formation of a Nematic Fluid at High Fields in Sr3Ru2O7
• Metamagnetic quantum criticality in Sr3Ru2O7 studied by thermal expansion
• Symmetry-breaking lattice distortion in Sr_3Ru_2O_7
• Violation of critical universality at the antiferromagnetic phase transition of YbRh2Si2

Cited by in corpus (4)

• Multiple metamagnetic quantum criticality in Sr${}_3$Ru${}_2$O${}_7$
• Study of the electronic nematic phase of Sr${}_3$Ru${}_2$O${}_7$ with precise control of the applied magnetic field vector
• Low temperature thermodynamic investigation of the phase diagram of Sr${}_3$Ru${}_2$O${}_7$
• Flat Bands and Enigma of Metamagnetic Quantum Critical Regime in Sr3Ru2O7