Soft-Phonon and Charge-Density-Wave Formation in Nematic BaNi_{2}As_{2}.

We use diffuse and inelastic x-ray scattering to study the formation of an incommensurate charge-density-wave (I-CDW) in BaNi_{2}As_{2}, a candidate system for charge-driven electronic nematicity. Intense diffuse scattering is observed around the modulation vector of the I-CDW, Q_{I-CDW}. It is already visible at room temperature and collapses into superstructure reflections in the long-range ordered state where a small orthorhombic distortion occurs. A clear dip in the dispersion of a low-energy transverse optical phonon mode is observed around Q_{I-CDW}. The phonon continuously softens upon cooling, ultimately driving the transition to the I-CDW state. The transverse character of the soft-phonon branch elucidates the complex pattern of the I-CDW satellites observed in the current and earlier studies and settles the debated unidirectional nature of the I-CDW. The phonon instability and its reciprocal space position are well captured by our ab initio calculations. These, however, indicate that neither Fermi surface nesting, nor enhanced momentum-dependent electron-phonon coupling can account for the I-CDW formation, demonstrating its unconventional nature.

Evidence for a Square-Square Vortex Lattice Transition in a High-T_{c} Cuprate Superconductor.

Using sound velocity and attenuation measurements in high magnetic fields, we identify a new transition in the vortex lattice state of La_{2-x}Sr_{x}CuO_{4}. The transition, observed in magnetic fields exceeding 35 T and temperatures far below zero field T_{c}, is detected in the compression modulus of the vortex lattice, at a doping level of x=p=0.17. Our theoretical analysis based on Eilenberger's theory of the vortex lattice shows that the transition corresponds to the long-sought 45° rotation of the square vortex lattice, predicted to occur in d-wave superconductors near a van Hove singularity.

Using strain to uncover the interplay between two- and three-dimensional charge density waves in high-temperature superconducting YBa2Cu3Oy.

Uniaxial pressure provides an efficient approach to control charge density waves in YBa2Cu3Oy. It can enhance the correlation volume of ubiquitous short-range two-dimensional charge-density-wave correlations, and induces a long-range three-dimensional charge density wave, otherwise only accessible at large magnetic fields. Here, we use x-ray diffraction to study the strain dependence of these charge density waves and uncover direct evidence for a form of competition between them. We show that this interplay is qualitatively described by including strain effects in a nonlinear sigma model of competing superconducting and charge-density-wave orders. Our analysis suggests that strain stabilizes the 3D charge density wave in the regions between disorder-pinned domains of 2D charge density waves, and that the two orders compete at the boundaries of these domains. No signatures of discommensurations nor of pair density waves are observed. From a broader perspective, our results underscore the potential of strain tuning as a powerful tool for probing competing orders in quantum materials.

Emerging symmetric strain response and weakening nematic fluctuations in strongly hole-doped iron-based superconductors.

Electronic nematicity is often found in unconventional superconductors, suggesting its relevance for electronic pairing. In the strongly hole-doped iron-based superconductors, the symmetry channel and strength of the nematic fluctuations, as well as the possible presence of long-range nematic order, remain controversial. Here, we address these questions using transport measurements under elastic strain. By decomposing the strain response into the appropriate symmetry channels, we demonstrate the emergence of a giant in-plane symmetric contribution, associated with the growth of both strong electronic correlations and the sensitivity of these correlations to strain. We find weakened remnants of the nematic fluctuations that are present at optimal doping, but no change in the symmetry channel of nematic fluctuations with hole doping. Furthermore, we find no indication of a nematic-ordered state in the AFe2As2 (A = K, Rb, Cs) superconductors. These results revise the current understanding of nematicity in hole-doped iron-based superconductors.

Thermodynamic signatures of the field-induced states of graphite.

When a magnetic field confines the carriers of a Fermi sea to their lowest Landau level, electron-electron interactions are expected to play a significant role in determining the electronic ground state. Graphite is known to host a sequence of magnetic field-induced states driven by such interactions. Three decades after their discovery, thermodynamic signatures of these instabilities are still elusive. Here we report the detection of these transitions with sound velocity measurements. The evolution of elastic constant anomalies with temperature and magnetic field allows to draw a detailed phase diagram which shows that the ground state evolves in a sequence of thermodynamic phase transitions. Our analysis indicates that the electron-electron interaction is not the sole driving force of these transitions and that lattice degrees of freedom play an important role.

[Study of auditive evoked potentials in multiple sclerosis (author's transl)]. / Etude des potentiels évoqués auditifs au cours de la sclérose en plaques.

The Brain stem evoked response audiometry have been studied in 34 cases of multiple sclerosis. The Brainstem in 8 cases were normal and abnormal on one or both sides in the remaining 26 cases (73.5 p. 100). A Brainstem is considered suspicious of multiple sclerosis when the first wave (N1) is normal as far as the time period is concerned, although there is a loss of synchronisation of the recording particularly as far as the higher part of the brain stem (N4 and N5). In 24 cases of multiple sclerosis of definite diagnosis (according to Mac Alpine criteria) 19 cases had abnormal recordings (79.2 p. 100). In 31 cases that had a neurological test showing a lesion of the brain stem, 23 cases of evoked potentials were abnormal (74.2 p. 100). In 3 cases that clinicaly had no lesion of the brain stem, the evoked potentials were abnormal in 2 of them, suggesting the eventuality of a lesion clinicaly non-reactive which can then be of help to confirm the diagnosis.

[Derived potentials and the microcomputer (author's transl)]. / Potentiels dérivés et micro-ordinateur.

A method for conducting "brain stem early derived potentials" using an inexpensive microcomputer is described. This type of examination is, however, difficult to perform, and is not currently employed in clinical practice. The contribution offered by this data-processing system is emphasized.