Pressure dependence of the magnetic order in CrAs: A neutron diffraction investigation

L. Keller, J. S. White, M. Frontzek, P. Babkevich, M. A. Susner, Z. C. Sims, A. S. Sefat, H. M. Ronnow, Ch Rüegg

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Abstract

The suppression of magnetic order with pressure concomitant with the appearance of pressure-induced superconductivity was recently discovered in CrAs. Here we present a neutron diffraction study of the pressure evolution of the helimagnetic ground state towards and in the vicinity of the superconducting phase. Neutron diffraction on polycrystalline CrAs was employed from zero pressure to 0.65 GPa and at various temperatures. The helimagnetic long-range order is sustained under pressure and the magnetic propagation vector does not show any considerable change. The average ordered magnetic moment is reduced from 1.73(2) μB at ambient pressure to 0.4(1) μB close to the critical pressure Pc≈0.7 GPa, at which magnetic order is completely suppressed. The width of the magnetic Bragg peaks strongly depends on temperature and pressure, showing a maximum in the region of the onset of superconductivity. We interpret this as associated with competing ground states in the vicinity of the superconducting phase.

Original languageEnglish
Article number020409
JournalPhysical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
Volume91
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 29 2015
Externally publishedYes

Funding

FundersFunder number
Laboratory Directed Research and Development
National Science Foundation
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
U.S. Department of Energy

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