# Raman scattering study of tetragonal magnetic phase in Sr$_{1-x}$Na$_x$Fe$_2$As$_2$: structural symmetry and electronic gap

## TL;DR

This study uses Raman scattering to investigate the structural and electronic properties of the tetragonal magnetic phase in Sr$_{1-x}$Na$_x$Fe$_2$As$_2$, revealing an electronic gap and weak lattice symmetry breaking.

## Contribution

It provides new insights into the symmetry and electronic gap formation in the tetragonal magnetic phase of Sr$_{1-x}$Na$_x$Fe$_2$As$_2$ using Raman spectroscopy.

## Key findings

- Observation of phonon splitting and recombination indicating phase transitions.
- Detection of an electronic gap associated with the tetragonal magnetic phase.
- Absence of phonon back-folding suggests minimal lattice translation symmetry breaking.

## Abstract

We use inelastic light scattering to study Sr$_{1-x}$Na$_x$Fe$_2$As$_2$ ($x\approx0.34$), which exhibits a robust tetragonal magnetic phase that restores the four-fold rotation symmetry inside the orthorhombic magnetic phase. With cooling, we observe splitting and recombination of an $E_g$ phonon peak upon entering the orthorhombic and tetragonal magnetic phases, respectively, consistent with the reentrant phase behavior. Our electronic Raman data reveal a pronounced feature that is clearly associated with the tetragonal magnetic phase, suggesting the opening of an electronic gap. No phonon back-folding behavior can be detected above the noise level, which implies that any lattice translation symmetry breaking in the tetragonal magnetic phase must be very weak.