μSR and magnetometry study of the type-I superconductor BeAu

Abstract

We present muon spin rotation and relaxation (muSR) measurements as well as demagnetising field corrected magnetisation measurements on polycrystalline samples of the noncentrosymmetric superconductor BeAu. From muSR measurements in a transverse field, we determine that BeAu is a type-I superconductor with Hc = 256 Oe, amending the previous understanding of the compound as a type-II superconductor. To account for demagnetising effects in magnetisation measurements, we produce an ellipsoidal sample, for which a demagnetisation factor can be calculated. After correcting for demagnetising effects, our magnetisation results are in agreement with our muSR measurements. Using both types of measurements we construct a phase diagram from T = 30 mK to Tc = 3.25 K. We then study the effect of hydrostatic pressure and find that 450 MPa decreases Tc by 34 mK, comparable to the change seen in type-I elemental superconductors Sn, In and Ta, suggesting BeAu is far from a quantum critical point accessible by the application of pressure.