-axis strain tuning of superconductivity and symmetric elastoresistivity in
Phys. Rev. B 114, 264501 – Published 2 November, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/l499-9f6c
Abstract
The kagome metal hosts an intriguing interplay between charge-density-wave (CDW) order and superconductivity that is highly sensitive to lattice distortions. However, determining the specific roles of the in-plane and out-of-plane symmetric strain channels has been hindered by their intrinsic mixing in conventional piezo-based experiments. Here, we combine in-plane uniaxial strain with direct -axis compression to independently access and disentangle these symmetry-resolved responses in . We reveal that -axis compression drives a substantial, linear enhancement of the superconducting transition temperature alongside a suppression of . The tuning efficiency of this out-of-plane deformation acts with an opposite sign and far exceeds that of in-plane strain, demonstrating that -axis lattice control dictates the phase competition. Furthermore, by isolating the pure elastoresistivity coefficients, we find that the out-of-plane cross-coupling coefficient is comparable in magnitude but opposite in sign to the in-plane response . Unlike the sharply peaked in-plane response, exhibits a distinct, order-parameter-like onset across the CDW transition. Our results establish that out-of-plane lattice control plays a dominant role in tuning the intertwined states in and provide a general pathway for resolving strain-coupled electronic responses in layered quantum materials.