Twinning of domains and spin anisotropy in
Phys. Rev. B 114, 175116 – Published 11 September, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/y7tn-ptpw
Abstract
Fe-based superconductors are derived from metallic parent compounds with nematic and stripe magnetic orders, which lead to two types of magnetic domains. Recently, it was found that (KFAT), an Fe-based semiconductor, exhibits similar nematic and stripe magnetic orders, and is thus an analog to the Fe-based superconductors in the limit of localized electrons. In this work, the superstructure and magnetic domains of KFAT are elucidated by fully mapping the reciprocal space using time-of-flight single crystal neutron diffraction. In KFAT, Fe and Ag atoms order to form a superstructure containing Fe blocks, which leads to two superstructure domains with identical main Bragg peaks but distinct superstructure peaks. Below , magnetic and nematic orders break in-plane rotational symmetry of the tetragonal superstructure, and further give rise to two magnetic domains. These four equally populated domains account for the complex scattering pattern observed in our time-of-flight elastic neutron scattering measurements. Using polarized neutron scattering, we demonstrate a prominent spin anisotropy with an easy-plane spanned by the axis and the intrablock antiferromagnetic Fe-Fe bond direction. Such an anisotropy at persists well above , accounts for the in-plane magnetic anisotropy observed in uniaxial-strained KFAT, and offers an indicator for discovering similar piezomagnetic effects in other materials.