Bulk domain Meissner state in the ferromagnetic superconductor EuFe$_{2}$(As$_{0.8}$P$_{0.2}$)$_{2}$: Consequence of compromise between ferromagnetism and superconductivity

Autor: Jin, Wentao, Mühlbauer, Sebastian, Bender, Philipp, Liu, Yi, Demirdis, Sultan, Fu, Zhendong, Xiao, Yinguo, Nandi, Shibabrata, Cao, Guang-Han, Su, Yixi, Brückel, Thomas
Rok vydání: 2022
Předmět:
Zdroj: Phys. Rev. B 105, L180504 (2022)
Druh dokumentu: Working Paper
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.105.L180504
Popis: Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements are performed on the ferromagnetic superconductor EuFe$_{2}$(As$_{0.8}$P$_{0.2}$)$_{2}$ ($T\rm_{sc}=22.5\,$K) to probe the delicate interplay between ferromagnetism and superconductivity. A clear signature of large ferromagnetic domains is found below the ferromagnetic ordering temperature $T\rm_{C}$ = 18.5 K. In a small temperature interval of $\sim$ 1.5 K below $T\rm_{C}$, additional SANS signal is observed, of which the indirect Fourier transform reveals characteristic length scales in between $\sim$ 80 nm to $\sim$ 160 nm. These nanometer-scaled domain structures are identified to result from an intermediate inhomogeneous Meissner effect denoted domain Meissner state, which was recently observed on the surface of EuFe$_{2}$(As$_{0.79}$P$_{0.21}$)$_{2}$ crystals by means of magnetic force microscopy [V. S. Stolyarov $\mathit{et}$ $\mathit{al.}$, Sci. Adv. 4, 1061 (2018)], ascribing to the competition between ferromagnetism and superconductivity. Our measurements clearly render the domain Meissner state as a bulk phenomenon and provide a key solution to the mystery regarding the intriguing coexistence of strong ferromagnetism and bulk superconductivity in these compounds.
Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Physical Review B as a Letter
Databáze: arXiv