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Hidden Density-Wave Instability in the Trimer Ruthenate Ba4Ru3O10

Gang Cao1,*, Hengdi Zhao1,2, Adrienne Bond1, Tristan R. Cao1, Gabriel Schebel1, Arabella Quane1, Yifei Ni1, Yu Zhang1, Logan Wall1 et al.

Rahul Nandkishore1, Pedro Schlottmann3, Stephan Rosenkranz2, and Feng Ye4

  • *Contact author: gang.cao@colorado.edu
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 137, 036502 – Published 13 July, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/ntfh-mk9d

Abstract

We report an unprecedented hidden density-wave instability in the trimer-based ruthenate Ba4Ru3O10, previously regarded as a purely antiferromagnetic insulator. This instability develops in two distinct stages: an electronically driven reconstruction at TA=100  K manifested in structural, thermodynamic, and transport anomalies that remain remarkably insensitive to magnetic fields up to at least 14 T, followed only at much lower temperatures T*∼20  K by the emergence of strongly nonlinear transport. Below T*, charge conduction exhibits distinct depinning thresholds, sharp negative differential resistance, and unusually slow collective dynamics in the Hertz range. Direct measurements show that Joule heating is negligible, and all nonlinear signatures vanish upon only 3% Ir substitution for Ru, demonstrating the intrinsic origin. These results identify Ba4Ru3O10 as a rare correlated system hosting a strongly pinned collective electronic mode intertwined with antiferromagnetism.

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Phys. Rev. Lett. 137, 036502– Published 13 July, 2026
  • Received 7 February 2026
  • Revised 20 April 2026
  • Accepted 5 June 2026
Article part of CHORUS
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