Development of a ferromagnetic component in the superconducting state of Fe-excess Fe1.12Te(1-x)Sex by electronic charge redistribution

Sci Rep. 2015 Jun 16:5:10951. doi: 10.1038/srep10951.

Abstract

The general picture established so far for the links between superconductivity and magnetic ordering in iron chalcogenide Fe1+y(Te(1-x)Sex) is that the substitution of Se for Te directly drives the system from the antiferromagnetic end into the superconducting regime. Here, we report on the observation of a ferromagnetic component that developed together with the superconducting transition in Fe-excess Fe1.12Te(1-x)Sex crystals using neutron and x-ray diffractions, resistivity, magnetic susceptibility and magnetization measurements. The superconducting transition is accompanied by a negative thermal expansion of the crystalline unit cell and an electronic charge redistribution, where a small portion of the electronic charge flows from around the Fe sites toward the Te/Se sites. First-principles calculations show consistent results, revealing that the excess Fe ions play a more significant role in affecting the magnetic property in the superconducting state than in the normal state and the occurrence of an electronic charge redistribution through the superconducting transition.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't