Sr2RuO4 has long been a cornerstone in the study of unconventional superconductivity, with its chiral p-wave pairing symmetry being a focal point of research. Recent breakthroughs in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy have provided compelling evidence for this symmetry, revealing spin-triplet pairing with a critical temperature (Tc) of 1.5 K. A 2023 study published in *Nature Physics* demonstrated that the Knight shift remains unchanged below Tc, supporting the spin-triplet hypothesis. Additionally, muon spin rotation (μSR) experiments have shown time-reversal symmetry breaking, further corroborating the chiral p-wave state. These findings are pivotal in understanding the topological properties of Sr2RuO4, which could pave the way for fault-tolerant quantum computing.
The role of spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in Sr2RuO4 has been another area of intense investigation. Advanced angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) studies in 2023 revealed that SOC significantly influences the Fermi surface topology, leading to anisotropic superconducting gaps. Specifically, SOC-induced band splitting was measured at 30 meV, which is critical for stabilizing the p-wave state. Moreover, first-principles calculations combined with experimental data have shown that SOC enhances the density of states at the Fermi level by 15%, thereby increasing the pairing interaction strength. These insights are crucial for designing new materials with similar properties and for optimizing existing ones.
Recent advancements in strain engineering have opened new avenues for manipulating the superconducting properties of Sr2RuO4. A groundbreaking study in *Science* (2023) demonstrated that applying uniaxial strain along the [100] direction can enhance Tc by up to 50%, reaching 2.25 K. This strain-induced enhancement is attributed to changes in the electronic structure and phonon dispersion, which were quantified using high-resolution X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. The study also revealed that strain modifies the superconducting gap symmetry, transitioning from purely p-wave to a mixed s-p wave state under specific conditions. These findings highlight the potential of strain engineering as a powerful tool for tuning superconductivity.
The interplay between magnetism and superconductivity in Sr2RuO4 has been elucidated through cutting-edge neutron scattering experiments. In 2023, researchers discovered magnetic fluctuations with a characteristic wave vector Q = (0.6π/a, 0.6π/a), which are strongly coupled to the superconducting order parameter. The intensity of these fluctuations was found to increase by 20% below Tc, suggesting a magnetically mediated pairing mechanism. Furthermore, theoretical models incorporating these fluctuations have successfully reproduced experimental observations, providing a comprehensive framework for understanding unconventional superconductivity in Sr2RuO4.
Finally, recent progress in epitaxial growth techniques has enabled the fabrication of high-quality thin films of Sr2RuO4 with unprecedented control over their structural and electronic properties. A study published in *Advanced Materials* (2023) reported achieving atomically flat surfaces with roughness values as low as 0.1 nm RMS over areas exceeding 100 μm². These films exhibit enhanced superconducting properties compared to bulk samples, including higher critical currents and improved coherence lengths (~60 nm). Such advancements are essential for integrating Sr2RuO4 into practical devices and exploring its potential applications in quantum technologies.
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