Charge Order Evolution of Superconducting BaNi2As2 Under High Pressure

BaNi$_2$As$_2$, a non-magnetic superconductor counterpart to BaFe$_2$As$_2$, has been shown to develop nematic order, multiple charge orders, and a dramatic six-fold enhancement of superconductivity via isovalent chemical substitution of Sr for Ba. Here we present high pressure single-crystal and powder x-ray diffraction measurements of BaNi$_2$As$_2$ to study the effects of tuning lattice density on the evolution of charge order in this system. Single-crystal X-ray experiments track the evolution of the incommensurate (Q=0.28) and commensurate (Q=0.33 and Q=0.5) charge orders, and the tetragonal-triclinic distortion as a function of temperature up to pressures of 10.4 GPa, and powder diffraction experiments at 300 K provide lattice parameters up to 17 GPa. We find that applying pressure to BaNi$_2$As$_2$ produces a similar evolution of structural and charge-ordered phases as found as a function of chemical pressure in Ba$_{1-x}$Sr$_{x}$Ni$_2$As$_2$ , with coexisting commensurate charge orders appearing on increasing pressure. These phases also exhibit a similar abrupt cutoff at a critical pressure of (9 $\pm$ 0.5) GPa, where powder diffraction experiments indicate a collapse of the tetragonal structure at higher temperatures. We discuss the relationship between this collapsed tetragonal phase and the discontinuous phase boundary observed at the optimal substitution value for superconductivity in Ba$_{1-x}$Sr$_{x}$Ni$_2$As$_2$
Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures