Structural and electronic response upon hole-doping of rare-earth iron oxyarsenides Nd1-xSrxFeAsO (0 < x < 0.2)

TL;DR

This study investigates how hole-doping NdFeAsO by substituting Nd3+ with Sr2+ affects its structure and electronic properties, revealing unique responses compared to electron-doping, and achieving superconductivity at 13.5 K.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the structural and electronic effects of hole-doping in NdFeAsO, highlighting differences from electron-doped counterparts.

Findings

Superconductivity achieved at 13.5 K with 20% Sr doping.

Structural and electronic responses are asymmetric compared to electron doping.

Hole-doping induces distinct changes in the phase diagram.

Abstract

Hole-doping of NdFeAsO via partial replacement of Nd3+ by Sr2+ is a successful route to obtain superconducting phases (Tc = 13.5 K for a Sr2+ content of 20%); however, the structural and electronic response with doping is different from and non-symmetric to that in the electron-doped side of the phase diagram.