The local structures of 122-type paradium arsenides, namely ${\mathrm{BaPd}}_2{\mathrm{As}}_2$ and ${\mathrm{SrPd}}_2{\mathrm{As}}_2$, are examined by As $K$-edge extended x-ray absorption fine structure measurements to find a possible correlation between the variation of their superconducting transition temperature and the local structure. The local atomic distances are found to be consistent with average distances measured by diffraction techniques. The temperature dependence of mean square relative displacements reveal that, while ${\mathrm{BaPd}}_2{\mathrm{As}}_2$ is characterized by a local As-Pd soft mode, albeit with larger atomic disorder, ${\mathrm{SrPd}}_2{\mathrm{As}}_2$ shows anomalous As-Pd correlations with a kink at $\sim 160$ K due to hardening by raising temperature. We have discussed implications of these results and possible mechanisms of differing superconducting transition temperature in relation with the structural instability.

• Received 20 June 2018

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.98.094525