Normal-state magnetoresistance of Sr₂RuO₄ single crystals

We have measured the normal-state magnetoresistance (MR) of superconducting Sr2RuO4 single crystals (Tc0 = 0.84 K) between 1.5 and 300 K in all magnetic fields up to 7.3 T. For in- and out-of-plane MR, Δρab and Δρc, the current was applied in the ab plane and along the c axis, respectively. In both cases, the magnetic field was perpendicular to the applied current. We found that both Δρab(H)/ρab(0) and Δρc(H)/ρc(0) are positive at low temperatures and decrease in magnitude with increasing temperature, eventually changing their signs from positive to negative at a temperature T* ≈ 75 K. Further analysis indicates that, below T*, the magnetic field dependence of Δρab(II)/ρab(0) is different from that of Δρc(II)/ρc(0). © 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.