Disorder-sensitive phase formation linked to metamagnetic quantum criticality

A. GRIGERA, S.; GEGENWART, P.; RODOLFO ALBERTO BORZI; WEICKERT, F.; SCHOFIELD, A. J.; PERRY, R. S.; TAYAMA, T.; SAKAKIBARA, T.; MAENO, Y.; GREEN, A. G.; P. MACKENZIE, A.

SCIENCE

Año: 2004 vol. 306 p. 1154 - 1157

0036-8075

Condensed systems of strongly interacting electrons are ideal for the study ofquantum complexity. It has become possible to promote the formation of newquantum phases by explicitly tuning systems toward special low-temperaturequantum critical points. So far, the clearest examples have been appearancesof superconductivity near pressure-tuned antiferromagnetic quantum criticalpoints. We present experimental evidence for the formation of a non-superconducting phase in the vicinity of a magnetic field–tuned quantumcritical point in ultrapure crystals of the ruthenate metal Sr3Ru2O7, and wediscuss the possibility that the observed phase is due to a spin-dependentsymmetry-breaking Fermi surface distortion.