高压下的铁基超导体:现象与物理

始于2008年的铁基超导体研究续写了高温超导发展史的新篇章.回顾过去十年对铁基超导体的研究,在理论、实验及应用方面都取得了辉煌的成绩,丰富了人们对高温超导电性的认识,为突破高温超导机理研究、最终实现超导材料的人工设计与更广泛的应用奠定了坚实的基础.本文主要介绍了通过高压实验研究手段在铁基超导体的研究中取得的一些重要进展及呈现出的新现象和新物理,例如压致超导现象、压力导致的超导再进入现象、压力对超导转变温度的提升效应、压力研究对铁基超导体超导转变温度的预测、相分离结构对超导电性的影响及反铁磁-超导双临界点的发现等.希望这些高压研究结果与本文报道的其他各类实验与理论研究成果一起,为全面、深入地理解铁基超导体勾画出一幅较为完整的物理图像.     

重费米子超导与竞争序

与其他非常规超导系列相比, 重费米子超导体往往具有丰富多样的竞争序, 超导与各种竞争序相伴而生, 电子配对与反铁磁涨落、铁磁涨落、价态涨落、电四极矩涨落等量子临界涨落密切相关, 扩充了非常规超导的研究内容. 重费米子材料中的f电子往往同时参与超导与各种竞争序的形成, 表现出局域与巡游的二重性. 重费米子二流体理论为理解重费米子超导与竞争序的关系提供了新的思路.     

压力下碱金属铁硒基超导体中的现象与物理

在凝聚态物理研究中, 压力作为对物质状态调控的独立变量得到了广泛的应用. 压力对发现物质的新现象、新规律及对其形成机理的理解和对相关理论的验证起到了重要的作用, 尤其在超导电性的研究中取得了巨大的成功. 文章简要的介绍了通过利用压力手段对具有相分离结构的碱金属铁硒基超导体A_xFe_2-ySe₂ (A=K, Rb, Tl/Rb)开展的系列研究所取得的实验结果, 以及其他一些文献中报道的在此方面的主要实验与理论研究工作, 包括压力导致的超导再进入现象和其产生的量子临界机理、其特有的反铁磁绝缘体相在该类超导体实现超导电性中的作用、化学负压力对超导电性的影响、构成该类超导体的反铁磁序与其寄居的超晶格的关系等.     

Preparation and superconductivity of the co-doped superconductor Nd2−x−yCayCexCuO4 with T′ structure

The preparation and superconductivity of the co-doped superconductor Nd_2−x−yCa_yCe_xCuO₄ with T′ structure were studied by XRD and superconductivity measurements. The results indicate that the effect of the co-doping of Ca²⁺ and Ce⁴⁺ on T_O and the carrier type is not significant, but the effect on the range of the superconducting compositions in this system is obvious. The study of co-doped superconductors could be important for an understanding of the effect of co-doping on the carrier concentration and to explore new superconductors.     

铁基超导体系基于电子关联强度的统一相图

铁基超导和铜基超导具有诸多相似性,这为建立统一的高温超导机理图像提供了可能性.然而,对铁基超导体系中无论是进行电荷掺杂、还是等价掺杂来改变化学压力,都能产生定性上类似、而细节上纷繁复杂的相图,这对建立统一的图像造成了困难.研究化学掺杂效应如何在微观上影响电子结构和超导电性,区分主导超导电性演化的主要因素和次要因素,对建立统一图像和揭示高温超导机理至关重要.本文综述了对铁基超导体系中化学掺杂效应的一系列角分辨光电子能谱研究,涵盖了基于FeAs和FeSe面的多种代表性铁基超导体系,包括异价掺杂、等价掺杂、在元胞不同位置的化学掺杂,及其对电子体系在费米面结构、杂质散射、电子关联强度等方面的影响.实验结果表明：电子关联性或能带宽度是多个铁基超导相图背后的普适参数,不同的晶格和杂质散射效应导致了并不重要的复杂细节,而费米面拓扑结构与超导电性的关联并不强.这些结果对弱耦合机理图像提出了挑战,并促使人们通过局域反铁磁交换作用配对图像在带宽演化层面上统一地理解铁基超导.     

Revealing the A_(1g)-type strain effect on superconductivity and nematicity in FeSe thin flake

The driving mechanism of nematicity and its twist with superconductivity in iron-based superconductors are still under debate.Recently,a dominant B_(1 g)-type strain effect on superconductivity is observed in underdoped iron-pnictides superconductors Ba(Fe_(1-x)Co_x)_2 As_2,suggesting a strong interplay between nematicity and superconductivity.Since the long-range spin order is absent in FeSe superconductor,whether a similar strain effect could be also observed or not is an interesting question.Here,by utilizing a flexible film as substrate,we successfully achieve a wide-range-strain tuning of FeSe thin flake,in which both the tensile and compressive strain could reach up to ～0.7%,and systematically study the strain effect on both superconducting and nematic transition(T_c and T_s) in the FeSe thin flake.Our results reveal a predominant A_(1 g)-type strain effect on T_c.Meanwhile,T_s exhibits a monotonic anti-correlation with T_c and the maximum T_c reaches to 12 K when T_s is strongly suppressed under the maximum compressive strain.Finally,in comparison with the results in the underdoped Ba(Fe_(1-x)Co_x)_2 As_2,the absence of B_(1 g)-type strain effect in FeSe further supports the role of stripe-type spin fluctuations on superconductivity.In addition,our work also supports that the orbital degree of freedom plays a key role to drive the nematic transition in FeSe.     

FeSe基超导体的探索与物性研究

自从2008年铁基超导体发现以来,人们探索并发现了一系列的铁基高温超导材料,其中FeSe基超导体因其具有的独特性质而引起了人们的广泛关注.本文主要介绍了两类新的铁基超导体,即水热合成法合成的（Li,Fe）OHFeSe及电化学插层方法合成的（CTA）_xFeSe的晶体结构及超导性质;对近年发展起来的利用电双层场效应晶体管技术以及固态离子导体调控FeSe的电子态性质的研究做了简要介绍.     

INFLUENCE OF SPIN AND CHARGE FLUCTUATIONS ON THE HIGH-Tc SUPERCONDUCTIVITY

In the framework of the weak coupling theory of superconductivity, we have proved that spin and charge fluctuations in the high-T_c superconductors can pro-duce respectively, pair-breaking and pair-forming effects on the superconductivity resulting from the "generalized BCS mechanism". With the coupling constant for spin fluctuations larger than that for charge fluctuations, they combine to produce a temperature-dependent effective pair-breaking effect, which makes T_c decrease more rapidly than Δ(0), the superconducting gap at T=0, and therefore, enhances the ratio 2Δ(0)/T_c. This provides a reasonable physical interpretation for the relevant experimental results.     

Superconductivity in La1.85Sr0.15Cu1-xZnxO4

Based on the multiple exchange-mediated interaction mechanism of high-T_c superconductivity and the Abrikosov-Gorfiov theory of magnetic impurity superconductors, this letter quantitatively explains the Zn-substitution experiment of La_1.85Sr_0.15Cu_1-xZn_xO₄     

Bond ionicities of high-Tc oxides

A semiempirical method for the calculation of the bond ionicity, which is applicable even to extremely anisotropic systems such as copper-oxide superconductors, is proposed as a generalization of the Phillips-Van Vechten-Levine scheme. The value of the ionicity calculated for oxides generally tends to increase as the crystal strain becomes more tensile. It is characteristic of cuprate superconductors that the values of the ionicity are high compared with other 3d transition-metal oxides. Also significant are the extremely high ionicities in the direction normal to the CuO₂ planes and the relatively high covalencies of the intraplanar bonds. These crystal-chemical characteristics may be intimately related to the remarkable insulator-to-metal transition and the associated high-T_c superconductivity in the layered copper-oxide systems.     

On the electron tunneling as a mechanism of superconductivity

Assuming the presence of electron double-well potential in high-T_c oxide superconductors, we examine the low-lying electron excitations of the tunneling type as a mechanism of superconductivity.     

高压下氢基高温超导体研究的新进展

富氢材料被认为是室温超导体的最佳候选体系,是物理学、材料科学等多学科的热点研究领域之一。理论和实验研究发现的新型共价氢化物H3S和笼状氢化物LaH10的超导转变温度(T_c)均超过200 K,进一步推动了对富氢化合物超导电性的探索。最近,通过高压实验合成的碳质硫氢化物在288 K的室温下实现了零电阻,让人们看到了室温超导的曙光。本文结合课题组在此领域的主要成果,介绍了3类典型富氢化合物的结构及超导特性,包括近期首次在层状氢化物中发现的具有类五角石墨烯结构的富氢超导体HfH₁₀,其超导转变温度高达213~234 K。     

Symmetrical aspects of the cooperative pseudo Jahn-Teller effect in high-Tc superconductors

A microscopical model for the structural phase transitions in high-T_c La₂CuO₄-type superconductors is presented. This model is based on the cooperative pseudo Jahn-Teller effect. The most attention is paid to the symmetrical aspects of the approach. The developed theory predicts the possibility of the re-entrant structural phase transition from the orthorhombic phase to the tetragonal one in the doped superconductors. This prediction is in agreement with the experimental observation. The important consequences for the mechanism of superconductivity that followed from the structural phase transitions are under consideration too.     

Temperature and doping dependent flat-band superconductivity on the Lieb-lattice

We consider the superconducting properties of Lieb lattice, which produces a flat-band energy spectrum in the normal state under the strong electron–electron correlation. Firstly, we show the hole-doping dependent superconducting order amplitude with various electron–electron interaction strengths in the zero-temperature limit. Secondly, we obtain the superfluid weight and Berezinskii–Kosterlitz–Thouless(BKT) transition temperature with a lightly doping level. The large ratio between the gap-opening temperature and BKT transition temperature shows similar behavior to the pseudogap state in high-T_c superconductors. The BKT transition temperature versus doping level exhibits a dome-like shape in resemblance to the superconducting dome observed in the high-T_c superconductors. However, unlike the exponential dependence of T_c on the electron–electron interaction strength in the conventional high-T_c superconductors, the BKT transition temperature for a flat band system depends linearly on the electron–electron interaction strength. We also show the doping-dependent superconductivity on a lattice with the staggered hoping parameter in the end. Our predictions are amenable to verification in the ultracold atoms experiment and promote the understanding of the anomalous behavior of the superfluid weight in the high-T_c superconductors.     

Superconductivity Window of High Tc Superconductors

The superconductivity window of the Cu-containing high T_c superconductors is studied. It is found that in the case of doping carriers the chemical potential is nonzero and depends on the concentration of carriers δ, which inevitably introduces an upper limit of δ for T_c. The discussion is started with a two-band model Hamiltonian, and the superexchange interactions between 0-0 holes are analyzed by the canonical perturbation theory. Some conclusions are drawn finally.     

利用单轴压强下的电阻变化研究铁基超导体中的向列涨落

铁基超导体中普遍存在着反铁磁、超导和向列相,因此研究向列相的性质及其与反铁磁、超导的关系对于理解铁基超导体的低能物理及高温超导电性具有非常重要的作用.所谓向列相是指电子态自发破缺了晶格的面内四重旋转对称性而形成的有序态,从而导致样品的某些物理性质出现了两重的各向异性.我们通过自主研发的单轴压强装置,可以在低温下原位改变压强,测量电阻的变化,从而得到向列极化率.本文介绍了我们利用该装置在最近几年研究铁基超导体的向列相和向列涨落所取得的一些成果,包括详细研究了BaFe_(2-x)Ni_xAs_2体系中的向列量子临界点及其量子临界涨落,并提出了基于向列涨落强弱调节的铁基超导体统一相图.这些结果表明,向列相及其涨落与反铁磁和超导均有很强的耦合,对于理解铁基超导体中磁性和超导电性非常关键.     

Microscopic Theory of the Universal Relationship Between Tc and Hole Content

Using microscopic theory of superconductivity, we find a universal relationship between T_c and hole content in p-type cuprate superconductors, which is consistent with the empirical ones given by Zhang and Sato. This paper predicts that there is also a universal relationship between energy gap and hole content.     

Synthesis and superconductivity in yttrium superhydrides under high pressure

Flourishing rare earth superhydrides are a class of recently discovered materials that exhibit near-room-temperature superconductivity at high pressures, ushering in a new era of superconductivity research at high pressures. Yttrium superhydrides drew the most attention among these superhydrides due to their abundance of stoichiometries and excellent superconductivities. Here, we carried out a comprehensive study of yttrium superhydrides in a wide pressure range of 140 GPa—300 GPa. We successfully synthesized a series of superhydrides with the compositions of YH₄, YH₆, YH₇, and YH₉, and reported superconducting transition temperatures of 82 K at 167 GPa, 218 K at 165 GPa, 29 K at 162 GPa, and 230 K at 300 GPa, respectively, as evidenced by sharp drops in resistance. The structure and superconductivity of YH₄ were taken as a representative example and were also examined using x-ray diffraction measurements and the superconductivity suppression under external magnetic fields, respectively. Clathrate YH₁₀, a candidate for room-temperature superconductor, was not synthesized within the study pressure and temperature ranges of up to 300 GPa and 2000 K. The current study established a detailed foundation for future research into room-temperature superconductors in polynary yttrium-based superhydrides.     

Effect of Pr and Ca substitution on superconductivity in Y(1−x−yPrxCay)Ba2Cu3O7−δ

Pr substituted at constant Ca concentration for Y in (Y_1−x−yPr_xCa_y)Ba₂Cu₃O_7−δ superconductors have been prepared under identical conditions and the temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity of these samples are measured. The resistively determined values of T_c decrease linearly with increasing x (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2) for constant y = 0.10 and 0.15 which provides convincing evidence that the suppression of superconductivity by Pr is mainly due to magnetic pair breaking. The suppression of superconductivity can also be correlated to the observed changes in oxygen content determined by iodometric analysis and to the average Cu-valences. However, it is found that the observed suppression of T_c cannot be compensated by appropriate hole doping with Ca.     

Superconductivity in octagraphene

This article reviews the basic theoretical aspects of octagraphene, an one-atom-thick allotrope of carbon, with unusual two-dimensional(2 D) Fermi nesting, hoping to contribute to the new family of quantum materials. Octagraphene has an almost strongest sp²hybrid bond similar to graphene, and has the similar electronic band structure as iron-based superconductors, which makes it possible to realize high-temperature superconductivity. We have compared various possible mechanisms of superconductivity, including the unconventional s;superconductivity driven by spin fluctuation and conventional superconductivity based on electron–phonon coupling. Theoretical studies have shown that octagraphene has relatively high structural stability. Although many 2 D carbon materials with C;carbon ring and C;carbon ring structures have been reported, it is still challenging to realize the octagraphene with pure square-octagon structure experimentally.This material holds hope to realize new 2 D high-temperature superconductivity.