Dynamics of orbital degrees of freedom probed via isotope ${}^{121,123}$ Sb nuclear quadrupole moments in Sb-substituted iron-pnictide superconductors

Abstract

Isotope ${}^{121,123}$Sb nuclei with large electric quadrupole moments are applied to investigate the dynamics of orbital degrees of freedom in Sb-substituted iron(Fe)-based compounds. In the parent compound LaFe(As${}_{0.6}$Sb${}_{0.4}$)O, the nuclear spin relaxation rate ${}^{121,123}(T_1^{-1})$ at ${}^{121,123}$Sb sites was enhanced at structural transition temperature ($T_s\sim$ 135 K), which is higher than Néel temperature ($T_{\mathrm{N}}\sim$125 K). The isotope ratio ${}^{123}(T_1^{-1}){/}^{121}(T_1^{-1})$ indicates that the electric quadrupole relaxation due to the dynamical electric field gradient at Sb site increases significantly toward $T_s$. It is attributed to the critically enhanced nematic fluctuations of stripe-type arrangement of Fe-$3d_{xz}$ (or $3d_{yz}$) orbitals. In the lightly electron-doped superconducting (SC) compound LaFe(As${}_{0.7}$Sb${}_{0.3}$)(O${}_{0.9}$F${}_{0.1}$), the nematic fluctuations are largely suppressed in comparison with the case of the parent compound, however, it remains a small enhancement below 80 K down to the $T_c$($\sim$ 20 K). The results indicate that the fluctuations from both the spin and orbital degrees of freedom on the $3d_{xz}$(or $3d_{yz}$) orbitals can be seen in lightly electron-doped SC state of LaFeAsO-based compounds. We emphasize that isotope ${}^{121,123}$Sb quadrupole moments are sensitive local probe to identify the dynamics of orbital degrees of freedom in Fe-pnictides, which provides with a new opportunity to discuss the microscopic correlation between the superconductivity and both nematic and spin fluctuations simultaneously even in the polycrystalline samples.

7 pages, 4 figures and 1 supplemental file

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