Effect of Uniaxial Stress for Pressure-Induced Superconductor SrFe_2As_2

Abstract

We report that the pressure-temperature phase diagram of single-crystalline SrFe$_2$As$_2$ is easily affected by the hydrostaticity of a pressure-transmitting medium. For all of the three mediums we used, superconductivity with zero resistance appears, accompanied by the suppression of an antiferromagnetic (orthorhombic) phase, but the critical pressure $P_c$ was found to depend on the type of medium. $P_c$ was estimated to be 4.4 GPa under almost hydrostatic condition, but it decreased to $3.4-3.7$ GPa with the use of the medium already solidified at room temperature. The uniaxial stress along the c-axis is suggested to aid in the suppression of the antiferromagnetic (orthorhombic) phase. The pressure effect of BaFe$_2$As$_2$ is also reported.

4 pages, 5 figures, to be published in J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. No.8 (2009)