Static and fluctuating zigzag order, and possible signatures of Kitaev physics, in torque measurements of $α$-RuCl${_3}$
Bibliographic record
Abstract
We have measured magnetic torque on a $T_N=7$ K single crystal of $α$-RuCl$_3$, as a function of the field angle in the $ab$-plane, focusing on temperatures between 2 and 20 K and fields from 0 to 9 T. We find a number of features, many of which can be classified by their angular periodicity. The sample shows an oscillation with a period of 180$^\circ$ (i.e.\ two-fold periodicity) and within the magnetically ordered zigzag phase there is a 60$^\circ$ period (i.e.\ six-fold) sawtooth pattern, which can be explained by reorientation of the zigzag domains as the crystal rotates in the applied field. We argue that the six-fold sawtooth and the two-fold sinusoidal signals arise from distinct regions of the crystal. Suppressing the zigzag order with an applied field above $\sim8$ T at low temperature, a six-fold {\sl sinusoidal} signal remains, suggesting that there is fluctuating zigzag order in the putative field-induced quantum spin liquid state. Finally, in testing theoretical results which predict a torque response with divergent slope across C$_2$-preserving $b$-axes (B1-axis), we find no features like that predicted for Ising topological order. Instead we find features at low temperatures and fields just above the zigzag phase across the non-C$_2$-preserving $b$-axes (B2-axes). Interpretation of this feature is complicated by the development of other similar signatures nearby at slightly lower fields, and by clear enhancement with thermal cycling. Additionally, we contrast the torque response of $T_N \sim$ 7 K and 14 K samples.
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How this classification was reachedexpand
Full frame machine prediction
Teacher imitationNot calibrated prevalence, not ground truth. Human validation pending. The Gemma side is a direct model label for every work in the frame, read from the title-only record. The Codex side is a classifier learned from the 10,348 direct Codex labels and calibrated to design-weighted sample rates; fields without enough sample support carry no Codex call. Candidate is the union of the two sides; consensus is their intersection. These outputs are machine_predicted_unvalidated and are not human labels.
Distilled classifier scores by category (both heads)
| Category | Codex | Gemma |
|---|---|---|
| Metaresearch | 0.000 | 0.001 |
| Meta-epidemiology (narrow) | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Meta-epidemiology (broad) | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Bibliometrics | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Science and technology studies | 0.000 | 0.001 |
| Scholarly communication | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Open science | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Research integrity | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Insufficient payload (model declined to judge) | 0.001 | 0.000 |
Machine scores (provisional)
The two teacher heads of the student model, read on this work. A score orders the frame for review; it never asserts a category, and the validation status ships verbatim with every row.
Baseline scores from an immature model (maturity gate not passed, 7 training rounds). Scores rank; they never assert a category.
score_only:v0-immature-baseline · verbatim from the scoring run: score_only means the number may rank works, and no category label ships from itClassification
machine, unvalidatedMachine predicted; a candidate call from one source (direct Gemma or distilled Codex), not a consensus.
How this classification was reached, model by model and score by score, is at the end of the page under "How this classification was reached".