Short-Lived Electron Excitations in FeTe1 –xSex as Revealed by Microwave Absorption

Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics - The Fe1 +yTe1 –xSex single crystals with the various Se/Te ratios were studied by the microwave absorption and direct current resistivity...     

Application of solid electrolytes α-AgI and RbAg<Subscript>4</Subscript>I<Subscript>5</Subscript> for refining phase diagrams and determining standard thermodynamic functions of compounds in silver-containing systems

Standard thermodynamic properties of minerals and phases of ternary systems Ag-Au-X (X = S, Se, Te) are determined by measuring the EMF in the cells with a common gas space and Ag₄RbI₅ as the solid electrolyte. By this means, thermodynamic functions of the following minerals and phases are determined: Au₂S, Ag₃AuS₂ (uytenbogaardtite), AgAuS (petrovskaite), Ag₂Se (naumannite), AuSe, Ag₃AuSe₂ (fischesserite), and Ag₅Te₃ (stuetzite). Thermodynamics of a pyrite-pyrrhotite equilibrium in the Ag-Fe-S system is studied in a cell with a solid electrolyte based on silver iodide at 500–730 K and atmospheric pressure.     

Structural phase transitions and the equation of state of SnTe at high pressures up to 2 mbar

Synchrotron X-ray diffraction studies of the structure of SnTe have been performed at room temperature and high pressures under the conditions of quasihydrostatic compression up to 193.5 GPa created in diamond anvil cells. Two structural phase transitions have been detected at P ≈ 3 and 23 GPa. The first phase transition is accompanied by a stepwise decrease in the volume of the unit cell by 4% because of the orthorhombic distortion of the initial SnTe-B1 cubic structure of the NaCl type. It has been found that two intermediate rhombic phases of SnTe with the space groups Cmcm and Pnma coexist in the pressure range of 3–23 GPa. The second phase transition at 23 GPa occurs from the intermediate rhombic modification to the SnTe-B2 cubic phase with the CsCl structure type. This phase transition is accompanied by an abrupt decrease in the volume of the unit cell by 8%. The pressure dependence of the volumes per formula unit at room temperature has been determined.     

The Synthesis of Crystals of Chalcogenides of K,Zr, Hf,Hg, and Some Other Elements in Halide Melts under Conditions of Stationary Temperature Gradient

Crystallography Reports - The growth of crystals of metals, alloys, chalcogenides, and pnictides in melts of alkali metal halides under conditions of stationary temperature gradient has been...     

Local features of the crystal structure of superconducting iron chalcogenides Fe(TeSe)<Subscript>1 – δ</Subscript>

The local crystal structure of superconducting powders of iron chalcogenides FeTe_xSe_1–x (x = 0.1, 0.22, 0.49, 0.8, 0.9) prepared by dry synthesis (without mineralizer) has been studied by EXAFS spectroscopy above the K Se and K Fe absorption edges in the temperature range of 80–300 K. The dependences of Se–Fe, Fe–Te, and Fe–Fe interatomic bond lengths and degrees of their local disordering (Debye–Waller factors) on the tellurium content and temperature have been obtained. Einstein temperatures characterizing the stiffness of each bond have been determined. The correlation of the Se–Fe bond stiffness with the dependence of the critical temperature of the superconducting transition T_c on the composition of the samples under study have been established, which indicates the specific role of the Se–Fe bond in the superconducting state formation in iron chalcogenides FeTe_xSe_1–x.     

Structural Phase Transitions and the Equation of State in SnSe at High Pressures up to 2 Mbar

The crystal structure of tin selenide SnSe has been studied under quasihydrostatic compression at pressures up to 205 GPa created in diamond anvil cells at room temperature. Two structural phase transitions have been detected at and P ≈ 2.5 32 GPa. The former phase transition is continuous from the GeS-type structure (space group Pbnm) to the TlI-type structure (space group Cmcm). The phase transition to the CsCl-type cubic structure (space group Pm\(\bar 3\)m) occurs at 32 GPa and is accompanied by a stepwise decrease in the volume of the unit cell by 7%. The pressure dependence of the specific volume of the unit cell at room temperature has been constructed up to 205 GPa.     

Impact of Impurity Phases and Superstoichiometric Iron on the Critical Temperature of Iron Chalcogenides

JETP Letters - The results of transport and magnetic measurements of iron chalcogenide crystals are analyzed taking into account the data of the chemical composition and impurity phases obtained by...     

Direct evidence of two superconducting gaps in FeSe<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>Te<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>: SnS-Andreev spectroscopy and the lower critical field

We present direct measurements of the superconducting order parameter in nearly optimal FeSe Te single crystals with the critical temperature T _C ≈ 14 K. Using the intrinsic multiple Andreev reflection effect (IMARE) spectroscopy and measurements of the lower critical field, we directly determined two superconducting gaps, Δ_L ≈ 3.3?3.4 meV and Δ_S ≈ 1 meV, and their temperature dependences. We show that a twoband model fits well the experimental data. The estimated electron–boson coupling constants indicate a strong intraband and a moderate interband interaction.     

Crystal and electronic structure study of AgPd3Se

The AgPd₃Se compound was synthesised from individual elements by solid-state chemical reactions and structurally characterized by powder X-ray diffraction data. AgPd₃Se displays cubic symmetry, space group Pa3?, unit cell parameter a=8.6289(1) Å and Z=8. Double-Friauf polyhedra (DFP), defined by Pd and Se atoms, form the basic structural building block of the AgPd₃Se crystal structure. The Ag atoms occupy the centres of DFPs forming an Ag–Ag dimer (2.792(2) Å). The packing of DFPs forms two kinds of interpenetrating networks that show similar features as three-dimensional Penrose tiles. AgPd₃Se is isostructural with CaAu₃Ga. The electric resistivity as well as the electronic structure calculation suggests metallic behaviour.     

Anisotropic effect of appearing superconductivity on the electron transport in FeSe

A theoretical model has been proposed to describe the conductivity of a layered anisotropic normal metal containing small superconducting inclusions at an arbitrary eccentricity of spheroidal superconducting islands. The electron transport and magnetic properties of FeSe single crystals have been measured. The results indicate the existence of superconductivity at temperatures much higher than the critical superconducting transition temperature corresponding to vanishing electrical resistance. Within the proposed model, quantitative agreement has been achieved between the volume fraction of superconducting inclusions and its temperature dependence determined from the transport and magnetic measurements.