Understanding the nature of superconductivity in iron-based compounds is essential in the development of new strategies to increase T c. Using a charge density analysis based on synchrotron radiation X-ray powder diffraction data, we found that the charge carriers only accumulated in the iron layer of the superconducting phase of LaFeAsO1 - x F x at low temperatures. Analysis of the electrostatic potential distribution revealed the concerted enhancement of the electronic polarization of the As ions and the carrier redistribution. This suggests that the enhanced electronic polarization of the As ion plays an important role in inducing high T c superconductivity, and that the polaron concept, which has been previously regarded as an untenable mechanism, should be reconsidered for the description of the iron-arsenide superconducting phase.
Keywords: charge-carrier redistribution; electronic polarization; superconductivity.