Combined effects of Sr substitution and pressure on the ground states in CaFe$_2$As$_2$

TL;DR

This study investigates how Sr substitution and hydrostatic pressure influence the structural, magnetic, and superconducting phases of CaFe$_2$As$_2$, revealing conditions that stabilize superconductivity and the importance of magnetic fluctuations.

Contribution

It demonstrates that combining Sr substitution with pressure can separate phase transitions and induce superconductivity in CaFe$_2$As$_2$, providing new insights into phase control in iron-based superconductors.

Findings

Sr substitution shifts phase stability ranges to higher pressures.

Superconductivity emerges in Sr-doped samples under specific pressure conditions.

The non-magnetic collapsed tetragonal phase suppresses superconductivity.

Abstract

We present a detailed study of the combined effects of Sr substitution and hydrostatic pressure on the ground-state properties of CaFe$_2$As$_2$. Measurements of the electrical resistance and magnetic susceptibility, both at ambient and finite pressure $P$ $\leq$ 2$\,$GPa, were performed on Ca$_{1-x}$Sr$_x$Fe$_2$As$_2$ single crystals grown out of Sn flux. We find that upon Sr substitution the ranges of stability of both the structural-magnetic transition and the transition into the non-magnetic collapsed tetragonal phase are shifted to higher pressure levels with the latter moving at a higher rate. This suggests the possibility of separating the two phase lines, which intersect already at elevated temperatures for $x$ = 0 and low Sr concentration levels. For $x$ = 0.177 we find strong evidence that both phases remain separated down to lowest temperature and that a zero-resistance state emerges in this intermediate pressure window. This observation indicates that Sr-substitution combined with hydrostatic pressure provides another route for stabilizing superconductivity in CaFe$_2$As$_2$. Our results are consistent with the notion that (i) preserving the fluctuations associated with the structural-magnetic transition to low temperatures is vital for superconductivity to form in this material and that (ii) the non-magnetic collapsed tetragonal phase is detrimental for superconductivity.