Resonant torsion magnetometry in anisotropic quantum materials.

ABSTRACT: Unusual behavior in quantum materials commonly arises from their effective low-dimensional physics, reflecting the underlying anisotropy in the spin and charge degrees of freedom. Here we introduce the magnetotropic coefficient k?=??²F/??², the second derivative of the free energy F with respect to the magnetic field orientation ? in the crystal. We show that the magnetotropic coefficient can be quantitatively determined from a shift in the resonant frequency of a commercially available atomic force microscopy cantilever under magnetic field. This detection method enables part per 100 million sensitivity and the ability to measure magnetic anisotropy in nanogram-scale samples, as demonstrated on the Weyl semimetal NbP. Measurement of the magnetotropic coefficient in the spin-liquid candidate RuCl₃ highlights its sensitivity to anisotropic phase transitions and allows a quantitative comparison to other thermodynamic coefficients via the Ehrenfest relations.

SUBMITTER: Modic KA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6162279 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature