Coexistence of cluster spin glass and superconductivity in Ba(Fe$_{1-x}$Co$_x$)$_2$As$_2$ for $0.060 \leq x \leq 0.071$

Abstract

We present 75As nuclear magnetic resonance data from measurements of a series of Ba(Fe$_{1-x}$Co$_x$)$_2$As$_2$ crystals with $0.00 \leq x \leq 0.075$ that reveals the coexistence of frozen antiferromagnetic domains and superconductivity for $0.060 \leq x \leq 0.071$. Although bulk probes reveal no long range antiferromagnetic order beyond $x = 0.06$, we find that the local spin dynamics reveal no qualitative change across this transition. The characteristic domain sizes vary by more than an order of magnitude, reaching a maximum variation at $x = 0.06$. This inhomogeneous glassy dynamics may be an intrinsic response to the competition between superconductivity and antiferromagnetism in this system.

8 pages, 5 figures, accepted to Phys. Rev. Lett. Oct. 14, 2013