We report a study of the magnetoresistivity of high purity Sr${}_3$Ru${}_2$O${}_7$, in the vicinity of its electronic nematic phase. By employing a triple-axis (9/1/1 T) vector magnet, we were able to precisely tune both the magnitude and direction of the in-plane component of the magnetic field ($H_{\parallel }$). We report the dependence of the resistively determined anisotropy on $H_{\parallel }$ in the phase, as well as across the wider temperature-field region. Our measurements reveal a high-temperature anisotropy which mimics the behavior of fluctuations from the underlying quantum critical point, and suggest the existence of a more complicated phase diagram.

• Received 16 January 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.87.161106