Multiple magnetic transitions in Sr₃Ru₂O₇ films grown by solid-source metal-organic MBE

The family of layered ruthenates (Sr_n+1Ru_nO_3n+1) hosts many interesting electrical and magnetic properties, ranging from superconductivity in Sr₂RuO₄ (n=1) to ferromagnetism in SrRuO₃ (n=∞). Sr₃Ru₂O₇ is the n = 2 member of this Ruddlesden-Popper family. Bulk single-crystals of Sr₃Ru₂O₇ are paramagnetic metals at room-temperature, with the presence of several magnetic transitions as a function of temperature. In this talk, we present the effect of epitaxial strain on these magnetic transitions in addition to showing the stabilization of electronic nematic phase at low temperatures. We have grown phase-pure, single crystalline, epitaxial Sr₃Ru₂O₇ films on LSAT (001) substrates using our novel solid-source metal-organic molecular beam epitaxy technique. Using LSAT (001) substrate produces ~ 0.5% in-plane compressive strain. These films showed the residual resistivity ratio of 22, which is highest reported value to-date in thin films of this material. Using temperature-dependent magnetotransport and magnetometry measurements, we reveal ferromagnetic transition at ~ 170 K, followed by several other magnetic transitions at lower temperatures. We also discuss the role of thickness on electronic and magnetic ordering in epitaxial Sr₃Ru₂O₇ films.