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Visualizing Uniaxial-strain Manipulation of Antiferromagnetic Domains in Fe1+YTe Using a Spin-polarized Scanning Tunneling Microscope
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Nematic Correlation Length in Iron-Based Superconductors Probed by Inelastic X-Ray Scattering
A M Merritt1, F Weber2,3, J-P Castellan2,4
1Department of Physics, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|May 2, 2020
Summary
Nematicity, a common feature in high-temperature superconductors, was studied in iron-based systems. Researchers found the nematic correlation length follows a power law, indicating a mean-field transition potentially harming superconductivity.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science
- Superconductivity
Background:
- Nematicity is prevalent in high-temperature superconductors, especially iron-based compounds.
- Understanding nematicity's role is crucial for advancing superconductor technology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the temperature dependence of the nematic correlation length (ξ) in FeSe and cobalt-doped BaFe2As2.
- To characterize the nature of the nematic transition in these materials.
Main Methods:
- Inelastic X-ray scattering was employed to measure acoustic phonon mode anomalies.
- The nematic correlation length (ξ) was extracted from phonon softening.
- Data analysis involved fitting to power-law and Curie-Weiss behaviors.
Main Results:
- The nematic correlation length (ξ) in FeSe and doped BaFe2As2 systems exhibited a power-law dependence (T-T0)-1/2 over a broad temperature range.
- These findings align with Curie-Weiss behavior observed in nematic susceptibility.
- A significant nematoelastic coupling was identified.
Conclusions:
- The nematic transition in these iron-based superconductors displays characteristics of mean-field behavior.
- The identified nematoelastic coupling is likely detrimental to the superconducting properties of these materials.
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