Phase transition and superconductivity of SrFe₂As₂under high pressure

Abstract

High pressure x-ray diffraction and electrical resistance measurements have been carried out on SrFe(2)As(2) to a pressure of 23 GPa and temperature of 10 K using a synchrotron source and designer diamond anvils. At ambient temperature, a phase transition from the tetragonal phase to a collapsed tetragonal (CT) phase is observed at 10 GPa under non-hydrostatic conditions. The experimental relation that T-CT transition pressure for 122 Fe-based superconductors is dependent on ambient pressure volume is affirmed. The superconducting transition temperature is observed at 32 K at 1.3 GPa and decreases rapidly with a further increase of pressure in the region where the T-CT transition occurs. Our results suggest that T(C) falls below 10 K in the pressure range of 10-18 GPa where the CT phase is expected to be stable.