Superconductivity at 44.4 K achieved by intercalating EMIM~+ into FeSe

Superconductivity with transition temperature Tc above 40 K was observed in protonated Fe Se(Hy-Fe Se) previously with the ionic liquid EMIM-BF4 used in the electrochemical process. However, the real superconducting phase is not clear until now. And detailed structural, magnetization, and electrical transport measurements are lacking. By using similar protonating technique on Fe Se single crystals, we obtain superconducting samples with Tc above 40 K. We show that the obtained superconducting phase is not Hy-Fe Se but actually an organic-ion(C_6H_(11)N_2~+ referred to as EMIM~+)-intercalated phase(EMIM)x Fe Se. By using x-ray diffraction technique, two sets of index peaks corresponding to different c-axis lattice constants are detected in the obtained samples, which belong to the newly formed phase of intercalated(EMIM)_x Fe Se and the residual Fe Se, respectively. The superconductivity of(EMIM)x Fe Se with Tc of 44.4 K is confirmed by resistivity and magnetic susceptibility measurements. Temperature dependence of resistivity with different applied magnetic fields reveals that the upper critical field H_(c2) is quite high, while the irreversibility field Hirris suppressed quickly with increasing temperature till about 20 K. This indicates that the resultant compound has a high anisotropy with a large spacing between the Fe Se layers.     

The development of the superconducting PbO-type β-FeSe and related compounds

An overview of the recent development of the superconducting FeSe_1?x and related compounds is presented. Methods to synthesize high purity polycrystalline samples, single crystals and thin films with preferred orientation are described. In addition to the synthesis of FeSe and FeSeTe, the effects of various partial chemical substitutions on Fe and Se/Te site are described. It was found that the effects of chemical doping to the Se-site or Fe-site are rather different. Ionic size of the dopant is found to play a critical role on the occurrence of superconductivity. We also review the physical properties, including transport, magnetic, and thermal properties. There exist interesting transport anomalies in the resistivity at low temperature, and it was found that a structural distortion at low temperature is critical to the occurrence of superconductivity in these materials. However, the exact origin of these observed anomalies is not clear, and the exact pairing symmetry in FeSe-based superconductors is also still in question.     

Large local disorder in superconducting K(0.8)Fe(1.6)Se2 studied by extended x-ray absorption fine structure

We have measured the local structure of superconducting K(0.8)Fe(1.6)Se(2) chalcogenide (T(c) = 31.8 K) by temperature dependent polarized extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) at the Fe and Se K-edges. We find that the system is characterized by a large local disorder. The Fe-Se and Fe-Fe distances are found to be shorter than the distances measured by diffraction, while the corresponding mean square relative displacements reveal large Fe-site disorder and relatively large c-axis disorder. The local force constant for the Fe-Se bondlength (k ~ 5.8 eV ?(-2)) is similar to the one found in the binary FeSe superconductor, however, the Fe-Fe bondlength appears to be flexible (k ~ 2.1 eV ?(-2)) in comparison to the binary FeSe (k ~ 3.5 eV ?(-2)), an indication of partly relaxed Fe-Fe networks in K(0.8)Fe(1.6)Se(2). The results suggest a glassy nature for the title system, with the superconductivity being similar to that in the granular materials.     

Resistivity superconducting transition in single-crystalline Cd0.95Ni0.05Sb system consisting of non-superconducting CdSb and NiSb phases

Resistivity superconducting transition has been for the first time found in single crystal of two-component 0.95(CdSb)–0.05(NiSb) system. End members of the system are not superconductors under normal conditions. Insulating behavior in temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity, which is due to hopping conductivity, precedes the transition. The resistivity superconducting transition is rather broad, since at cooling down the electrical resistivity starts to fall at 10.5 K, whereas zero resistivity is reached only at ~2.3 K. Longitudinal magnetic field gradually depresses superconductivity and shifts the superconducting transition to lower temperatures. Under magnetic field above 0.5 T, superconductivity is totally destroyed. Main features observed in the resistivity superconducting transition, including its unusually big width and insulating electrical behavior above the transition, can be related to inhomogeneity of the single crystal studied. According to XRD and SEM examinations, the single crystal consists of major CdSb phase and minor NiSb phase. The NiSb phase forms inhomogeneities in the CdSb matrix. Micro-sized needle-like NiSb crystals and nano-sized Ni_1-xSb_x clusters can be considered as typical inhomogeneities.     

One-Fe versus two-Fe Brillouin zone of Fe-based superconductors: creation of the electron pockets by translational symmetry breaking

We investigate the physical effects of translational symmetry breaking in Fe-based high-temperature superconductors due to alternating anion positions. In the representative parent compounds, including the newly discovered Fe-vacancy-ordered K(0.8)Fe(1.6)Se(2), an unusual change of orbital character is found across the one-Fe Brillouin zone upon unfolding the first-principles band structure and Fermi surfaces, suggesting that covering a larger one-Fe Brillouin zone is necessary in experiments. Most significantly, the electron pockets (critical to the magnetism and superconductivity) are found only created with broken symmetry, advocating strongly its full inclusion in future studies, particularly on the debated nodal structures of the superconducting order parameter.     

Electronic structure, magnetism and superconductivity of layered iron compounds

The layered iron superconductors are discussed using electronic structure calculations. The four families of compounds discovered so far, including Fe (Se, Te) have closely related electronic structures. The Fermi surface consists of disconnected hole and electron cylinders and additional hole sections that depend on the specific material. This places the materials in proximity to itinerant magnetism, both due to the high density of states and due to nesting. Comparison of density functional results and experiment provides strong evidence for itinerant spin fluctuations, which are discussed in relation to superconductivity. It is proposed that the intermediate phase between the structural transition and the SDW transition in the oxy-pnictides is a nematic phase.     

Topological Superconductivity in Cu(x)Bi(2)Se(3)

A topological superconductor (TSC) is characterized by the topologically protected gapless surface state that is essentially an Andreev bound state consisting of Majorana fermions. While a TSC has not yet been discovered, the doped topological insulator Cu(x)Bi(2)Se(3), which superconducts below ～3 K, has been predicted to possess a topological superconducting state. We report that the point-contact spectra on the cleaved surface of superconducting Cu(x)Bi(2)Se(3) present a zero-bias conductance peak (ZBCP) which signifies unconventional superconductivity. Theoretical considerations of all possible superconducting states help us conclude that this ZBCP is due to Majorana fermions and gives evidence for a topological superconductivity in Cu(x)Bi(2)Se(3). In addition, we found an unusual pseudogap that develops below ～20 K and coexists with the topological superconducting state.     

Role of anion ordering in the coexistence of spin-density-wave and superconductivity in (TMTSF)2ClO4

Using various transport and magnetotransport probes, we study the coexistence of spin-density wave and superconductor states in (TMTSF)₂ClO₄ at various degrees of ClO₄ anions ordering. In the two-phase complex state when both superconductivity and spin-density wave are observed in transport, we find prehistory effects, enhancement of the superconducting critical field, and strong spatial anisotropy of the superconducting state. These features are inconsistent with the conventional model of structural inhomogeneities produced by anion ordering transition. We reveal instead that superconductor and spin-density wave regions overlap on the temperature—dimerization gap V phase diagram, where V is varied by anion ordering. The effect of anion ordering on (TMTSF)₂ClO₄ properties is thus analogous to that of pressure on (TMTSF)₂X (X = PF₆ or AsF₆), thereby unifying general picture of the coexistence of superconductivity and spin-density wave in these compounds.     

二维铁电材料α-In2Se3 表面分子束外延生长Pb 纳米岛的STM 研究

铁电材料拥有自发电极化, 不同的极化方向会对异质结的电子结构产生可逆的和非易失性的影响. 本工作采用分子束外延技术在二维铁电材料α-In2Se3 衬底上成功制备了 Pb 纳米岛构建 Pb/α-In2Se3 超导铁电异质结,并通过扫描隧道显微镜表征了其表面原子结构与电子结构. 进一步的扫描隧道谱测量显示不同层厚 Pb 岛的量子阱态消失, 并且我们在4.5 K 的温度下没有观察到超导能隙, 表明铁电衬底会影响 Pb 岛的电子结构, 甚至其超导特性. 这些发现为理解铁电衬底对超导性的影响提供了参考, 并为调控低维量子材料中的电子结构及超导性提供了新的思路.     

Exploration of iron-chalcogenide superconductors

Iron-chalcogenide compounds with FeSe（Te, S） layers did not attract much attention until the discovery of high-Tc superconductivity （SC） in the iron-pnictide compounds at the begining of 2008. Compared with FeAs-based superconductors, iron-chalcogenide superconductors have aroused enormous enthusiasm to study the relationship between SC and magnetisms with several distinct features, such as different antiferromagnetic ground states with relatively large moments in the parents, indicating possibly different superconducting mechanisms, the existence of the excess Fe atoms or Fe vacancies in the crystal lattice. Another reason is that the large single crystals are easily grown for the iron-chalcogenide compounds. This review will focus on our exploration for the iron-chalcogenide superconductors and discussion on several issues, including the crystal structure, magnetic properties, superconductivity, and phase separation. Some of them reach a consensus but some important questions still remain to be answered.     

关于自旋电子的一些为什么——浅谈与超导电性对抗的磁性元素Fe,Co,Ni为什么形成化合物就超导了?

在近20年来的凝聚态物理研究中,人们在铜基氧化物中发现了高温超导电性,在锰基钙钛矿中发现了巨磁电阻效应,以及近年来发现由铁、钴、镍等传统认为与超导对抗的元素组成化合物后可以形成超导.这些不同的体系有着迥然不同的物理行为,却具有一个共同的特征:这些铜、锰、铁、钴、镍基化合物都是3d电子材料.那么,同为3d电子,为什么在不同的环境中表现出完全不同甚至对抗的行为?文章对这些现象提出了一系列为什么,并对其进行了探讨.     

Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy of the iron-chalcogenide superconductor Fe1.03Te0.7Se0.3: strong coupling behavior and the universality of interband scattering

We have performed angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy of the iron-chalcogenide superconductor Fe1.03Te0.7Se0.3 to investigate the electronic structure relevant to superconductivity. We observed a holelike Fermi surface (FS) and an electronlike FS at the Brillouin zone center and corner, respectively, which are nearly nested by the Q～(π,π) wave vector. We do not find evidence for the nesting instability with Q～(π+δ,0) reminiscent of the antiferromagnetic order in the parent compound Fe1+yTe. We have observed an isotropic superconducting (SC) gap along the holelike FS with the gap size Δ of ～4 meV (2Δ/kBTc ～ 7), demonstrating the strong-coupling superconductivity. The observed similarity of low-energy electronic excitations between iron-chalcogenides and iron-arsenides strongly suggests that common interactions which involve Q～(π,π) scattering are responsible for the SC pairing.     

112型铁基化合物EuFeAs2的单晶生长与表征

铁基超导体中含有一类特殊的112型结构化合物,其层状结构中含有一层锯齿形的As链构型.本文报道了用CsCl助熔剂法生长新型铁基112型EuFeAs₂母体单晶的具体方法,以及对该单晶的结构和物性的详细表征.通过能量色散X射线能谱扫描对单晶样品进行的化学成分分析,以及单晶X射线衍射的结构解析,确定该单晶样品属于EuFeAs₂相,结构精修得到EuFeAs₂具有空间群为Imm2（No.44）的正交晶体结构,晶格常数分别是a=21.285（9）Å,b=3.9082（10）Å,c=3.9752（9）Å.通过低温电阻测量,发现在110 K附近和46 K附近存在两个异常电阻跳变.进一步分析表明,110 K附近存在两个邻近的相变,这两个相变与铁基母体材料中常见的结构相变和Fe²⁺的反铁磁相变相符合.结合磁化率测量分析,可知46 K附近的相变属于Eu²⁺的反铁磁相变.     

高压下氢基超导体的研究进展

实现室温超导一直是人们长期追寻的梦想,寻找和合成出具有室温超导性的新材料已成为 凝聚态物理学家和材料物理学家的“圣杯”。近年来,随着理论和实验相继发现超导临界温度高于 200 K 的 H3S 和 LaH10,氢基超导体已逐渐成为实现室温超导的最佳候选,成为物理学、材料科 学等多学科研究的热点领域之一。在本文中,我们将概述超导材料的发展历史和几种典型超导材 料,重点介绍当前高压下氢基超导体的研究进展及面临的挑战,详细讨论中低压力范围氢基高温 超导体的设计思路,展望氢基超导体在低压甚至常压下实现高温乃至室温的可能性。     

Superconductivity in Li OHFe S single crystals with a shrunk c-axis lattice constant

By using a hydrothermal ion-exchange method, we have successfully grown superconducting crystals of Li OHFe S with Tcof about 2.8 K. Being different from the sister sample(Li1-xFex)OHFe Se, the energy dispersion spectrum analysis on Li OHFe S shows that the Fe/S ratio is very close to 1:1, suggesting an almost charge neutrality and less electron doping in the Fe S planes of the system. Comparing with the non superconducting Li OHFe S crystal, each peak of the X-ray diffraction pattern of the superconducting crystal splits into two, and the diffraction peaks locating at lower reflection angles are consistent with that of non-superconducting ones. The rest set of diffraction peaks with higher reflection angles is corresponding to the superconducting phase, suggesting that the superconducting phase may has a shrunk c-axis lattice constant. Magnetization measurements indicate that the magnetic shielding due to superconductivity can be quite high under a weak magnetic field. The resistivity measurements under various magnetic fields show that the upper critical field is quite low, which is similar to the tetragonal Fe S superconductor.     

Distinct fermi surface topology and nodeless superconducting gap in a (Tl0.58Rb0.42)Fe1.72Se2 superconductor

High resolution angle-resolved photoemission measurements have been carried out to study the electronic structure and superconducting gap of the (Tl0.58Rb0.42)Fe1.72Se2 superconductor with a T(c) = 32 K. The Fermi surface topology consists of two electronlike Fermi surface sheets around the Γ point which is distinct from that in all other iron-based superconductors reported so far. The Fermi surface around the M point shows a nearly isotropic superconducting gap of ～12 meV. The large Fermi surface near the Γ point also shows a nearly isotropic superconducting gap of ～15 meV, while no superconducting gap opening is clearly observed for the inner tiny Fermi surface. Our observed new Fermi surface topology and its associated superconducting gap will provide key insights and constraints into the understanding of the superconductivity mechanism in iron-based superconductors.     

Neutron studies of the iron-based family of high TC magnetic superconductors

We review neutron scattering investigations of the crystal structures, magnetic structures, and spin dynamics of the iron-based RFe(As, P)(O, F) (R = La, Ce, Pr, Nd), (Ba,Sr,Ca)Fe₂As₂, and Fe_1+x(Te–Se) systems. On cooling from room temperature all the undoped materials exhibit universal behavior, where a tetragonal-to-orthorhombic/monoclinic structural transition occurs, below which the systems become antiferromagnets. For the first two classes of materials the magnetic structure within the a–b plane consists of chains of parallel Fe spins that are coupled antiferromagnetically in the orthogonal direction, with an ordered moment typically less than one Bohr magneton. Hence these are itinerant electron magnets, with a spin structure that is consistent with Fermi-surface nesting and a very energetic spin wave bandwidth ～0.2 eV. With doping, the structural and magnetic transitions are suppressed in favor of superconductivity, with superconducting transition temperatures up to ≈55 K. Magnetic correlations are observed in the superconducting regime, with a magnetic resonance that follows the superconducting order parameter just like the cuprates. The rare earth moments order antiferromagnetically at low T like ‘conventional’ magnetic superconductors, while the Ce crystal field linewidths are affected when superconductivity sets in. The application of pressure in CaFe₂As₂ transforms the system from a magnetically ordered orthorhombic material to a ‘collapsed’ non-magnetic tetragonal system. Tetragonal Fe_1+xTe transforms to a low T monoclinic structure at small x that changes to orthorhombic at larger x, which is accompanied by a crossover from commensurate to incommensurate magnetic order. Se doping suppresses the magnetic order, while incommensurate magnetic correlations are observed in the superconducting regime.     

Fe1.01Se0.4Te0.6单晶的超导电性研究

本文采用自助溶剂法生长得到Fe1.01Se0.4Te0.6单晶样品,超导零电阻温度Tczero=11.0 K,部分样品经400℃进行48小时退火之后,超导零电阻温度变为Tczero=7.0K.分析表明退火后样品的Fe含量变大,超导电性被部分抑制.通过磁场下电阻率-温度曲线的实验测量,用WHH(Werthamer-Helfand-Hohenberg)方法估算得到退火前后样品在0K附近的上临界场分别为83.2T和61.3T.上临界场μ0Hc2(T)随温度变化曲线在0T附近向高温方向上翘,说明样品具有"二流体"行为.直流磁化曲线在40K和120K分别出现向下弯曲,40K处的变化可能对应于过量Fe的自旋冻结.应变测量结果显示样品在117K时应变值发生一个突变,变化量约为晶格参数的0.06%,显示样品发生一个结构相变.因此,120K处的磁化下降对应于样品从四方相到正交相的结构转变.     

Observation of mode-like features in tunneling spectra of iron-based superconductors

We report scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy(STM/STS) studies on iron-based superconductors of Ba1-xKx Fe2As2 and nearly optimally doped Fe(Te,Se). Mode-like features were observed universally outside the superconducting gaps in the tunneling spectra, which are similar to our previous observations in other samples and can be ascribed to the interaction between electrons and spin excitations. Furthermore, an almost linear relationship between the superconducting gaps and the superconducting transition temperatures was noted and should also be taken into account in understanding the mechanism of iron-based superconductors.     

Effect of Mn substitution on superconductivity in iron selenide(Li,Fe)OHFeSe single crystals

We synthesize a series of Mn substituted(Li, Fe)OHFeSe superconductor single crystals via a modified ion-exchange method, with the Mn concentration z(the atomic ratio of Mn:Se) ranging from 0 to 0.07. The distribution homogeneity of the Mn element incorporated into the lattice of(Li, Fe)OHFeSe is checked by combined measurements of high-angleannular-dark-field(HAADF) imaging and electron energy-loss spectroscopy(EELS). Interestingly, we find that the superconducting transition temperature T_c and unit cell parameter c of the Mn-doped(Li, Fe)OHFeSe samples display similar V-shaped evolutions with the increasing dopant concentration z. We propose that, with increasing doping level, the Mn dopant first occupies the tetrahedral sites in the(Li, Fe)OH layers before starting to substitute the Fe element in the superconducting Fe Se layers, which accounts for the V-shaped change in cell parameter c. The observed positive correlation between the T_c and lattice parameter c, regardless of the Mn doping level z, indicates that a larger interlayer separation, or a weaker interlayer coupling, is essential for the high-T_c superconductivity in(Li, Fe)OHFeSe. This agrees with our previous observations on powder, single crystal, and film samples of(Li, Fe)OHFeSe superconductors.