Critical divergence of the symmetric (A_(1g)) nonlinear elastoresistance near the nematic transition in an iron-based superconductor

We report the observation of a nonlinear elastoresistivity response for the prototypical underdoped iron pnictide Ba(Fe$_{0.975}$Co$_{0.025}$)$_2$As$_2$. Our measurements reveal a large quadratic term in the isotropic ($A_{1g}$) electronic response that was produced by a purely shear ($B_{2g}$) strain. The divergence of this quantity upon cooling towards the structural phase transition reflects the temperature dependence of the nematic susceptibility. This observation shows that nematic fluctuations play a significant role in determining even the isotropic properties of this family of compounds.