Uniaxial and hydrostatic pressure effects in alpha-RuCl3 single crystals via thermal-expansion measurements

TL;DR

This study investigates the effects of uniaxial and hydrostatic pressure on alpha-RuCl3 single crystals, revealing a hysteretic structural transition, multiple magnetic transitions, and the potential to suppress magnetic order with moderate pressure, advancing understanding of the material's phase behavior.

Contribution

The paper provides detailed thermal-expansion data and thermodynamic analysis of pressure effects on alpha-RuCl3, highlighting the pressure-induced suppression of magnetic order and discussing discrepancies with prior studies.

Findings

Hysteretic structural transition over 100 K observed

Three magnetic transitions linked to stacking sequences

Magnetic order can be suppressed by 0.3-0.9 GPa pressure

Abstract

We present high-resolution thermal-expansion and specific-heat measurements of single crystalline alpha-RuCl3. An extremely hysteretic structural transition expanding over 100 K is observed by thermal- expansion along both crystallographic axes, which we attribute to a change of stacking sequence of the RuCl3 layers. Three magnetic transitions are observed, which we link to the different stacking sequences. Using our data and thermodynamic relations, we derive the uniaxial and hydrostatic pressure derivatives of all three magnetic transitions. Our results demonstrate that magnetic order should be totally suppressed by very moderate pressures of 0.3 GPa to 0.9 GPa. Finally, we discuss why our results differ from recent hydrostatic pressure measurements and suggest a possible route to reaching the spin-liquid state in alpha-RuCl3.