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arXiv · 1803.09273

Symmetric and antisymmetric strain as continuous tuning parameters for electronic nematic order

Matthias S. Ikeda·Thanapat Worasaran·Johanna C. Palmstrom·Philip Walmsley·Ian R. Fisher
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Abstract

We report the separate response of the critical temperature of the nematic phase transition $T_{\rm S}$ to symmetric and antisymmetric strains for the prototypical underdoped iron pnictide Ba(Fe$_{0.975}$Co$_{0.025}$)$_2$As$_2$. This decomposition is achieved by comparing the response of $T_{\rm S}$ to uniaxial stress and hydrostatic pressure. In addition to quantifying the two distinct linear responses to symmetric strains, we find a quadratic variation of $T_{\rm S}$ as a response to antisymmetric strains $ε_{\rm B_{1g}}$=$\frac{1}{2}$($ε_{\rm xx}$-$ε_{\rm yy}$), exceeding the non linear response to symmetric strains by at least two orders of magnitude. These observations establish orthogonal antisymmetric strain as a powerful tuning parameter for nematic order.

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Matthias S. Ikeda, Thanapat Worasaran, Johanna C. Palmstrom, Philip Walmsley, Ian R. Fisher. 2019-01-09. Symmetric and antisymmetric strain as continuous tuning parameters for electronic nematic order. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.98.245133

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