Search

In this Letter, we report a resonant x-ray scattering measurement of stripelike charge order in the 1/8th doped component of electronically phase-separated, orthorhombic ${\mathrm{La}}_{2}{\mathrm{CuO}}_{4+y}$. This observation is coupled to the absence of any resonant (001) peak, which at different resonant energies has been identified with the presence of low-temperature-tetragonal-like structural tilt patterns or nematicity in the CuO planes. Thus, we provide evidence that structural pinning is not necessary for the formation of static charge stripes and that the relationship between charge nematicity and stripes may not be simple.

We present experimental evidence for a quantum phase transition in the easy-axis $S=3/2$ anisotropic quasi-one-dimensional ferromagnet ${\mathrm{CoCl}}_{2}\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}2{\mathrm{D}}_{2}\mathrm{O}$ in a transverse field. Elastic neutron scattering shows that the magnetic order parameter vanishes at a transverse critical field ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{0}{H}_{c}=16.05$(4) T, while inelastic neutron scattering shows that the gap in the magnetic excitation spectrum vanishes at the same field value, and reopens for $Hg{H}_{c}$. The field dependence of the order parameter and the gap are well described by critical exponents $\ensuremath{\beta}=0.45\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.09$ and $z\ensuremath{\nu}$ close to $1/2$, implying that the quantum phase transition in ${\mathrm{CoCl}}_{2}\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}2{\mathrm{D}}_{2}\mathrm{O}$ differs significantly from the textbook version of a $S=1/2$ Ising chain in a transverse field. We attribute the difference to weak but finite three-dimensionality of the magnetic interactions.

We present neutron scattering studies of the inter-planar correlations in the high-temperature superconductor La1.88Sr0.12CuO4 (T_c=27 K). The correlations are studied both in a magnetic field applied perpendicular to the CuO2 planes, and in zero field under different cooling conditions. We find that the effect of the magnetic field is to increase the magnetic scattering signal at all values of the out-of-plane wave vector L, indicating an overall increase of the magnetic moments. In addition, weak correlations between the copper oxide planes develop in the presence of a magnetic field. This effect is not taken into account in previous reports on the field effect of magnetic scattering, since usually only L~0 is probed. Interestingly, the results of quench-cooling the sample are similar to those obtained by applying a magnetic field. Finally, a small variation of the incommensurate peak position as a function of L provides evidence that the incommensurate signal is twinned with the dominating and sub-dominant twin displaying peaks at even or odd L, respectively.

We have studied the magnetic and superconducting properties of Ba(Fe$_{0.95}$Co$_{0.05}$)$_{2}$As$_{2}$ as a function of temperature and external magnetic field using neutron scattering and muon spin rotation. Below the superconducting transition temperature the magnetic and superconducting order parameters coexist and compete. A magnetic field can significantly enhance the magnetic scattering in the superconducting state, roughly doubling the Bragg intensity at 13.5 T. We perform a microscopic modelling of the data by use of a five-band Hamiltonian relevant to iron pnictides. In the superconducting state, vortices can slow down and freeze spin fluctuations locally. When such regions couple they result in a long-range ordered antiferromagnetic phase producing the enhanced magnetic elastic scattering in agreement with experiments.