Magnetic-field-controlled spin fluctuations and quantum critically in Sr<sub>3</sub>Ru<sub>2</sub>O<sub>7</sub>.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 34608160.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-021-26068-3 and PMC identifier 8490391.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
When the transition temperature of a continuous phase transition is tuned to absolute zero, new ordered phases and physical behaviour emerge in the vicinity of the resulting quantum critical point. Sr<sub>3</sub>Ru<sub>2</sub>O<sub>7</sub> can be tuned through quantum criticality with magnetic field at low temperature. Near its critical field B<sub>c</sub> it displays the hallmark T-linear resistivity and a [Formula: see text] electronic heat capacity behaviour of strange metals. However, these behaviours have not been related to any critical fluctuations. Here we use inelastic neutron scattering to reveal the presence of collective spin fluctuations whose relaxation time and strength show a nearly singular variation with magnetic field as B<sub>c</sub> is approached. The large increase in the electronic heat capacity and entropy near B<sub>c</sub> can be understood quantitatively in terms of the scattering of conduction electrons by these spin-fluctuations. On entering the spin-density-wave ordered phase present near B<sub>c</sub>, the fluctuations become stronger suggesting that the order is stabilised through an "order-by-disorder" mechanism.