Nematic superconducting state in iron pnictide superconductors.

ABSTRACT: Nematic order often breaks the tetragonal symmetry of iron-based superconductors. It arises from regular structural transition or electronic instability in the normal phase. Here, we report the observation of a nematic superconducting state, by measuring the angular dependence of the in-plane and out-of-plane magnetoresistivity of Ba_0.5K_0.5Fe₂As₂ single crystals. We find large twofold oscillations in the vicinity of the superconducting transition, when the direction of applied magnetic field is rotated within the basal plane. To avoid the influences from sample geometry or current flow direction, the sample was designed as Corbino-shape for in-plane and mesa-shape for out-of-plane measurements. Theoretical analysis shows that the nematic supercon

SUBMITTER: Li J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5709366 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature