Orbital-Degenerate Paramagnetic Metal Sr₂MoO₄:
An Electronic Analogue to Sr₂RuO₄

Abstract

We present the first systematic study on polycrystalline Sr₂MoO₄ as an electronic analogue to the spin-triplet superconductor Sr₂RuO₄. The Pauli paramagnetic susceptibility and metallic behaviors of specific heat and electrical resistivity have been observed. The density of states at the Fermi level D(E_F) deduced from the results is about three times smaller than that of Sr₂RuO₄. Any indication of superconductivity intrinsic to Sr₂MoO₄ has not been observed down to 25mK, which may correspond to the smaller D(E_F). We discuss the origin of the difference in electronic states between Sr₂MoO₄ and Sr₂RuO₄.