Probing the ground state properties of iron-based superconducting pnictides and related systems by muon-spin spectroscopy

In this short review, we attempt to give a comprehensive discussion of studies performed to date by muon-spin spectroscopy (more precisely the relaxation and rotation technique, also know as mu SR) on the recently discovered layered iron-based superconductors. On one side, mu SR has been used to characterize the magnetic state of different families of layered iron-based systems. Similarly the subtle interplay of the magnetic state and the structural transition present in some families has been investigated. We will also discuss the information provided by this technique on the interaction between the magnetic state and the superconducting phase. Finally the mu SR technique has been used to investigate the magnetic penetration depth of the superconducting ground state. The study of its absolute value, temperature and magnetic field dependence provides crucial tests for investigating possible unconventional superconducting states in such systems. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.