Electronic nematicity in Sr2RuO4

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020 May 19;117(20):10654-10659. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1921713117. Epub 2020 May 4.

Abstract

We have measured the angle-resolved transverse resistivity (ARTR), a sensitive indicator of electronic anisotropy, in high-quality thin films of the unconventional superconductor Sr2RuO4 grown on various substrates. The ARTR signal, heralding the electronic nematicity or a large nematic susceptibility, is present and substantial already at room temperature and grows by an order of magnitude upon cooling down to 4 K. In Sr2RuO4 films deposited on tetragonal substrates the highest-conductivity direction does not coincide with any crystallographic axis. In films deposited on orthorhombic substrates it tends to align with the shorter axis; however, the magnitude of the anisotropy stays the same despite the large lattice distortion. These are strong indications of actual or incipient electronic nematicity in Sr2RuO4.

Keywords: angle-resolved transverse resistivity; electronic nematicity; molecular-beam epitaxy; strontium ruthenate.