Persistent Detwinning of Iron-Pnictide EuFe_{2}As_{2} Crystals by Small External Magnetic Fields.

ABSTRACT

Our comprehensive study on EuFe_{2}As_{2} reveals a dramatic reduction of magnetic detwinning fields compared to other AFe_{2}As_{2} (A=Ba, Sr, Ca) iron pnictides by indirect magnetoelastic coupling of the Eu^{2+} ions. We find that only ∼0.1 T are sufficient for persistent detwinning below the local Eu^{2+} ordering; above T_{Eu}=19 K, higher fields are necessary. Even after the field is switched off, a significant imbalance of twin domains remains constant up to the structural and electronic phase transition (190 K). This persistent detwinning provides the unique possibility to study the low temperature electronic in-plane anisotropy of iron pnictides without applying any symmetry-breaking external force.