Feasibility of applying sufficiently large biaxial strain to Sr2RuO4

Determine whether a strain-cell-based biaxial strain technique can generate sufficiently large biaxial strain in Sr2RuO4 to modulate RuO6 octahedral rotations for tuning superconductivity, including achieving the predicted magic rotation angles that enhance the superconducting transition temperature.

Background

The paper proposes structural control—via octahedral rotations and strain—as a route to tune superconductivity in Sr2RuO4 and predicts a magic rotation angle (approximately 3–4 degrees) that could significantly increase the superconducting transition temperature. Several experimental avenues to modify octahedral rotations are discussed, including epitaxial strain in thin films and adlayer deposition.

Beyond these, the authors consider the possibility of applying biaxial strain using a strain cell to achieve the required structural tuning in bulk specimens. However, they explicitly note uncertainty regarding whether a strain cell can practically deliver sufficiently large biaxial strains, leaving the experimental feasibility of this approach unresolved.