Wenliang Zhang

Structural and magnetic phase transitions near optimal superconductivity in BaFe2(As1-xPx)2

In this study, we use nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), high-resolution x-ray and neutron scattering to study structural and magnetic phase transitions in phosphorus-doped BaFe2(As1-xPx)2. Thus, previous transport, NMR, specific heat, and magnetic penetration depth measurements have provided compelling evidence for the presence of a quantum critical point (QCP) near optimal superconductivity at x = 0.3. However, we show that the tetragonal-to-orthorhombic structural (Ts) and paramagnetic to antiferromagnetic (AF, TN) transitions in BaFe2(As1-xPx)2 are always coupled and approach to TN ≈ Ts ≥ Tc (≈ 29 K) for x = 0.29 before vanishing abruptly for x ≥ 0.3. These results suggest that AF order in BaFe2(As1-xPx)2 disappears in a weakly first order fashion near optimal superconductivity, much like the electron-doped iron pnictides with an avoided QCP.

Impact of uniaxial pressure on structural and magnetic phase transitions in electron-doped iron pnictides

We use neutron resonance spin echo and Larmor diffraction to study the effect of uniaxial pressure on the tetragonal-to-orthorhombic structural (Ts) and antiferromagnetic (AF) phase transitions in iron pnictides BaFe2−xNixAs2 (x = 0,0.03,0.12), SrFe1.97Ni0.03As2 ,a nd BaFe 2(As0.7P0.3)2. In antiferromagnetically ordered BaFe2−xNixAs2 and SrFe1.97Ni0.03As2 with TN and Ts (TN Ts), a uniaxial pressure necessary to detwin the sample also increases TN , smears out the structural transition, and induces an orthorhombic lattice distortion at all temperatures. By comparing temperature and doping dependence of the pressure induced lattice parameter changes with the elastoresistance and nematic susceptibility obtained from transport and ultrasonic measurements, we conclude that the in-plane resistivity anisotropy found in the paramagnetic state of electron underdoped iron pnictides depends sensitively on the nature of the magnetic phase transition and a strong coupling between the uniaxial pressure induced lattice distortion and electronic nematic susceptibility.

Effect of Nematic Order on the Low-Energy Spin Fluctuations in Detwinned BaFe1.935Ni0.065As2

The origin of nematic order remains one of the major debates in iron-based superconductors. In theories based on spin nematicity, one major prediction is that the spin-spin correlation length at (0,π) should decrease with decreasing temperature below the structural transition temperature T_{s}. Here, we report inelastic neutron scattering studies on the low-energy spin fluctuations in BaFe_{1.935}Ni_{0.065}As_{2} under uniaxial pressure. Both intensity and spin-spin correlation start to show anisotropic behavior at high temperature, while the reduction of the spin-spin correlation length at (0,π) happens just below T_{s}, suggesting the strong effect of nematic order on low-energy spin fluctuations. Our results favor the idea that treats the spin degree of freedom as the driving force of the electronic nematic order.

Spin excitation anisotropy in the optimally isovalent-doped superconductor BaFe2(As0.7P0.3)2

We use neutron polarization analysis to study spin excitation anisotropy in the optimal-isovalent-doped superconductor BaFe2(As0.7P0.3)2 (Tc = 30 K). Different from optimally hole and electron-doped BaFe2As2, where there is a clear spin excitation anisotropy in the paramagnetic tetragonal state well above Tc, we find no spin excitation anisotropy for energies above 2 meV in the normal state of BaFe2(As0.7P0.3)2. Upon entering the superconducting state, significant spin excitation anisotropy develops at the antiferromagnetic (AF) zone center QAF = (1, 0, L = odd), while magnetic spectrum is isotropy at the zone boundary Q = (1, 0, L = even). By comparing temperature, wave vector, and polarization dependence of the spin excitation anisotropy in BaFe2(As0.7P0.3)2 and hole-doped Ba0.67K0.33Fe2As2 (Tc = 38 K), we conclude that such anisotropy arises from spin-orbit coupling and is associated with the nearby AF order and superconductivity.

Electronic nematic correlations in the stress-free tetragonal state of BaFe2−xNixAs2

We use transport and neutron scattering to study electronic, structural, and magnetic properties of the electron-doped BaFe

Crystal growth and phase diagram of 112-type iron pnictide superconductor Ca1−y La y Fe1−x Ni x As2

_{2-x}

Unified Phase Diagram for Iron-Based Superconductors.

Ni

Spin excitations in optimally P-doped BaFe2(As0.7P0.3)2 superconductor

_x

Nematic Quantum Critical Fluctuations in BaFe2-xNixAs2

As

Neutron spin resonance as a probe of superconducting gap anisotropy in partially detwinned electron underdoped NaFe 0.985 Co 0.015 As

_2