Magnetic-superconducting phase boundary of SmFeAsO$_{1-x}$F$_{x}$ studied via muon spin rotation: Unified behavior in a pnictide family

TL;DR

This study investigates the phase boundary between magnetism and superconductivity in SmFeAsO$_{1-x}$F$_x$ using muon spin rotation, revealing a narrow coexistence region and a unified behavior across 1111 pnictides.

Contribution

It provides evidence for nanoscopic coexistence of magnetic and superconducting phases and highlights a universal crossover behavior in 1111 pnictide compounds.

Findings

Coexistence of magnetic order and superconductivity occurs only in a narrow doping range.

The coexistence is nanoscopic, with phases interspersed over a few nanometers.

Both magnetic and superconducting transition temperatures decrease sharply in the coexistence regime.

Abstract

We present uSR investigations on SmFeAsO_1-xF_x showing coexistence of magnetic order and superconductivity only in a very narrow F-doping range. The sharp crossover between the two types of order is similar to that observed in LaFeAsO_1-xF_x, suggesting a common behavior for the 1111 pnictides. The analysis of the muon asymmetry demonstrates that the coexistence must be nanoscopic, i.e. the two phases must be finely interspersed over a typical length-scale of few nm. In this regime both the magnetic and the superconducting transition temperatures collapse to very low values. Our data suggest a competition between the two order parameters