Discovery of mesoscopic nematicity wave in iron-based superconductors
T. Shimojima, Y. Motoyui, T. Taniuchi, C. Bareille, S. Onari, H. Kontani, M. Nakajima, S. Kasahara, T. Shibauchi, Y. Matsuda, S. Shin
Abstract
Patterned nematics Electrons in solids can break rotational symmetry, resulting in electronic nematicity. This phenomenon has been observed in both cuprate-based and iron-based high-temperature superconductors, and its relationship to superconductivity remains a subject of debate. Shimojima et al . used linear dichroism measurements to image nematicity in two iron-based superconductors. Unexpectedly, the researchers found periodic patterns with very long wavelengths. The findings could be described with a phenomenological model assuming a train of nematic domain walls. —JS
Topics & Concepts
Condensed matter physicsLiquid crystalMesoscopic physicsSuperconductivityAntiferromagnetismPhysicsPhase (matter)Order (exchange)FerromagnetismGinzburg–Landau theoryWavelengthWave vectorElectronic structureLinear dichroismDomain (mathematical analysis)Materials scienceMomentum (technical analysis)DichroismMagnetic domainElectronIron-based superconductors researchCharacterization and Applications of Magnetic NanoparticlesPhysics of Superconductivity and Magnetism