Effect of heavy-ion irradiation on London penetration depth in over-doped Ba(Fe,Co)2As2

TL;DR

This study investigates how heavy-ion irradiation affects the London penetration depth and superconducting properties of overdoped Ba(Fe,Co)2As2, revealing universal pairing behavior across doping levels.

Contribution

It demonstrates that heavy-ion irradiation modifies the penetration depth behavior in overdoped Ba(Fe,Co)2As2, supporting the universality of $s_{}$ pairing in these superconductors.

Findings

Irradiation suppresses $T_c$ by 0.3 to 1 K.

Irradiation increases the pre-factor $A$ in the penetration depth power-law.

Irradiation decreases the exponent $n$, indicating altered gap properties.

Abstract

Irradiation with 1.4 GeV $^{208}$Pb ions was used to induce artificial disorder in single crystals of iron-arsenide superconductor Ba(Fe$_{1-x}$Co$_x$)$_2$As$_2$ and to study its effect on the temperature-dependent London penetration depth and transport properties. Study was undertaken on overdoped single crystals with $x$=0.108 and $x$=0.127 characterized by notable modulation of the superconducting gap. Irradiation with doses 2.22$\times10^{11}$$\textit{d}$/cm$^2$ and 2.4$\times10^{11}$$\textit{d}$/cm$^2$, corresponding to the matching fields of $B_{\phi} = $6 T and 6.5 T, respectively, suppresses the superconducting $T_c$ by approximately 0.3 to 1 K. The variation of the low-temperature penetration depth in both pristine and irradiated samples is well described by the power-law, $\Delta \lambda (T)=AT^n$. Irradiation increases the magnitude of the pre-factor $A$ and decreases the exponent $n$, similar to the effect of irradiation in optimally doped samples. This finding supports universal $s_{\pm}$ pairing in Ba(Fe$_{1-x}$Co$_x$)$_2$As$_2$ compounds for the whole Co doping range.