Magnetothermal Properties near Quantum Criticality in the Itinerant Metamagnet Sr3Ru2O7

This thesis sets out the results of both specific-heat and magnetocaloric experiments undertaken with bespoke experimental apparatus whose design specifically addresses the demanding constraints of the low-temperature, high-magnetic-field environment.

---

Our department nominated this thesis for a Springer award because we regard it as an outstanding piece of work, carried out with a remarkable level of independence. Andreas Rost joined us in 2005, as one of the inaugural Prize Students of the Scottish Universities Physics Alliance. Our research group has been working on Sr Ru O , in collaboration with our colleagues in the group of Professor Y. Maeno 3 2 7 at Kyoto, since 1998. By early 2005 we had tantalising evidence that a novel phase was forming at very low temperatures, in an overall phase diagram dominated by quantum ?uctuations. We knew that comprehensive thermodynamic information would be needed in order to understand how this was happening, and that the demanding constraints of low temperature and high magnetic ?eld meant that bespoke apparatus would need to be constructed. Andreas had studied the speci?c heat of glasses below 50 mK during his diploma thesis work at Heidelberg, and was brimming with ideas about how to proceed. We gave him advice, and constantly discussed the physics with him, but quickly realised that the best way to proceed practically was to give him a budget, and let him take the main design decisions, double-checking with us from time to time.