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

Wentao Jin; Sebastian Mühlbauer; Philipp Bender; Yi Liu; Sultan Demirdis; Zhendong Fu; Yinguo Xiao; Shibabrata Nandi; Guang-Han Cao; Yixi Su; Thomas Brückel

doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.105.L180504

paper

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

arXiv:2204.12094 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.105.L180504

Abstract

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements are performed on the ferromagnetic superconductor EuFe $_{2}$ (As $_{0.8}$ P $_{0.2}$ ) $_{2}$ ( $T_{sc} = 22.5$ K) to probe the delicate interplay between ferromagnetism and superconductivity. A clear signature of large ferromagnetic domains is found below the ferromagnetic ordering temperature $T_{C}$ = 18.5 K. In a small temperature interval of $\sim$ 1.5 K below $T_{C}$ , 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 $et$ $al.$ , 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.

6 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Physical Review B as a Letter

Bulk domain Meissner state in the ferromagnetic superconductor EuFe2​(As0.8​P0.2​)2​: Consequence of compromise between ferromagnetism and superconductivity

Abstract

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