Combining quasistatic and time-resolved transport measurements with X-ray and neutron diffraction experiments we study the non-equilibrium states that arise in pure and in Ti substituted Ca2RuO4 under the application of current densities. Time-resolved studies of the current-induced switching find a slow conductance relaxation that can be identified with heating and a fast one that unambiguously proves an intrinsic mechanism. The current-induced phase transition leads to complex diffraction patterns. Separated Bragg reflections that can be associated with the metallic and insulating phases by their lattice parameters, indicate a real structure with phase coexistence that strongly varies with temperature and current strength. A third contribution with a c lattice constant in between those of metallic and insulating phases appears upon cooling. At low current densities, this additional phase appears below ∼100 K and is accompanied by a suppression of the antiferromagnetic order that otherwise can coexist with current carrying states. A possible origin of the intermediate phase is discussed.
@article{arxiv.2007.00444,
title = {Evidence for current-induced phase coexistence in Ca$_{2}$RuO$_{4}$ and its influence on magnetic order},
author = {K. Jenni and F. Wirth and K. Dietrich and L. Berger and Y. Sidis and S. Kunkemöller and C. P. Grams and D. I. Khomskii and J. Hemberger and M. Braden},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2007.00444},
year = {2020}
}