Electronic Phase Separation in the Slightly Underdoped Iron Pnictide Superconductor Ba1-xKxFe2As2
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Contributors
Abstract
Here we present a combined study of the slightly underdoped novel pnictide superconductor Ba1-xKxFe2As2 by means of x-ray powder diffraction, neutron scattering, muon-spin rotation (mu SR), and magnetic force microscopy (MFM). Static antiferromagnetic order sets in below T-m approximate to 70 K as inferred from the neutron scattering and zero-field-mu SR data. Transverse-field mu SR below T-c shows a coexistence of magnetically ordered and nonmagnetic states, which is also confirmed by MFM imaging. We explain such coexistence by electronic phase separation into antiferromagnetic and superconducting- or normal-state regions on a lateral scale of several tens of nanometers. Our findings indicate that such mesoscopic phase separation can be considered an intrinsic property of some iron pnictide superconductors.
Details
Original language | English |
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Article number | 117006 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Physical review letters |
Volume | 102 |
Issue number | 11 |
Publication status | Published - 20 Mar 2009 |
Peer-reviewed | Yes |
Externally published | Yes |
External IDs
Scopus | 63749098497 |
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Keywords
Keywords
- HIGH-TEMPERATURE SUPERCONDUCTOR, BI2SR2CACU2O8+DELTA, LA2CUO4+DELTA, DENSITY, DIAGRAM, OXIDES, STATE, ORDER