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Stacking disorder and thermal transport properties of α-RuCl3

Publication ,  Journal Article
Zhang, H; McGuire, MA; May, AF; Chao, HY; Zheng, Q; Chi, M; Sales, BC; Mandrus, DG; Nagler, SE; Miao, H; Ye, F; Yan, J
Published in: Physical Review Materials
January 1, 2024

α-RuCl3, a well-known candidate material for Kitaev quantum spin liquid, is prone to stacking disorder due to the weak van der Waals bonding between the honeycomb layers. After a decade of intensive experimental and theoretical studies, the detailed correlation between stacking degree of freedom, structure transition, magnetic, and thermal transport properties remains unresolved. In this work, we reveal the effects of a small amount of stacking disorder inherent even in high quality α-RuCl3 crystals. This small amount of stacking disorder results in the variation of the magnetic ordering temperature, and it suppresses the structure transition and thermal conductivity. Crystals with a minimal amount of stacking disorder have a TN>7.4K and exhibit a well-defined structure transition around 140 K upon cooling. For those with more stacking faults and a TN below 7 K, the structure transition occurs well below 140 K upon cooling and is incomplete, manifested by the diffuse streaks and the coexistence of both high-temperature and low-temperature phases down to the lowest measurement temperature. Both types of crystals exhibit oscillatory field-dependent thermal conductivity and a plateaulike feature in thermal Hall resistivity in the field-induced quantum spin liquid state. However, α-RuCl3 crystals with a minimal amount of stacking disorder have a higher thermal conductivity that pushes the thermal Hall conductivity to be closer to the half-integer quantized value. These findings demonstrate a strong correlation between layer stacking, structure transition, magnetic, and thermal transport properties, underscoring the importance of interlayer coupling in α-RuCl3 despite the weak van der Waals bonding.

Duke Scholars

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Published In

Physical Review Materials

DOI

EISSN

2475-9953

Publication Date

January 1, 2024

Volume

8

Issue

1

Related Subject Headings

  • 5104 Condensed matter physics
  • 4016 Materials engineering
  • 3403 Macromolecular and materials chemistry
 

Citation

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Zhang, H., McGuire, M. A., May, A. F., Chao, H. Y., Zheng, Q., Chi, M., … Yan, J. (2024). Stacking disorder and thermal transport properties of α-RuCl3. Physical Review Materials, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevMaterials.8.014402
Zhang, H., M. A. McGuire, A. F. May, H. Y. Chao, Q. Zheng, M. Chi, B. C. Sales, et al. “Stacking disorder and thermal transport properties of α-RuCl3.” Physical Review Materials 8, no. 1 (January 1, 2024). https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevMaterials.8.014402.
Zhang H, McGuire MA, May AF, Chao HY, Zheng Q, Chi M, et al. Stacking disorder and thermal transport properties of α-RuCl3. Physical Review Materials. 2024 Jan 1;8(1).
Zhang, H., et al. “Stacking disorder and thermal transport properties of α-RuCl3.” Physical Review Materials, vol. 8, no. 1, Jan. 2024. Scopus, doi:10.1103/PhysRevMaterials.8.014402.
Zhang H, McGuire MA, May AF, Chao HY, Zheng Q, Chi M, Sales BC, Mandrus DG, Nagler SE, Miao H, Ye F, Yan J. Stacking disorder and thermal transport properties of α-RuCl3. Physical Review Materials. 2024 Jan 1;8(1).

Published In

Physical Review Materials

DOI

EISSN

2475-9953

Publication Date

January 1, 2024

Volume

8

Issue

1

Related Subject Headings

  • 5104 Condensed matter physics
  • 4016 Materials engineering
  • 3403 Macromolecular and materials chemistry