Nanoscale phase separation in the iron chalcogenide superconductor K<mml:mi/>0.8Fe<mml:mi/>1.6Se<mml:mi/>2as seen via scanning nanofocused x-ray diffraction

2011/07/31 by Alessandro Ricci, A. Ricci, Nicola Poccia +23 · 4 citations
Chemistry · Materials Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Analytical Chemistry (journal) #Chalcogenide #Chemistry #Condensed matter physics #Crystallography #Diffraction #Iron-based superconductors research #Lattice (music) #Materials science #Nanoscopic scale #Nanotechnology #Optics #Optoelectronics #Phase (matter) #Phase diagram #Physics #Physics of Superconductivity and Magnetism #Rare-earth and actinide compounds #Superconductivity #cond-mat.supr-con

paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevb.84.060511

published as Phys. Rev. B 84, 060511(R) (2011) · 5 pages, 4 figures

openalex publication_date 2011/08/23 · arxiv created 2011/08/25 · arxiv updated 2011/08/26 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

Advanced synchrotron radiation focusing down to a size of 300 nm has been used to visualize nanoscale phase separation in the K_0.8Fe_1.6Se₂ superconducting system using scanning nanofocus single-crystal x-ray diffraction. The results show an intrinsic phase separation in K_0.8Fe_1.6Se₂ single crystals at T 520 K, revealing the coexistence of (i) a magnetic phase characterized by an expanded lattice with superstructures due to Fe vacancy ordering and (ii) a nonmagnetic phase with an in-plane compressed lattice. The spatial distribution of the two phases at 300 K shows a frustrated or arrested nature of the phase separation. The space-resolved imaging of the phase separation permitted us to provide direct evidence of nanophase domains smaller than 300 nm and different micrometer-sized regions with percolating magnetic or nonmagnetic domains forming a multiscale complex network of the two phases.

Citations

• Transport properties of the new Fe-based superconductor KxFe2Se2 (Tc=33 K)
• A Novel Large Moment Antiferromagnetic Order in K 0.8 Fe 1.6 Se 2 Superconductor
• Model for phase separation controlled by doping and the internal chemical pressure in different cuprate superconductors
• Arrested phase separation in a short-ranged attractive colloidal system: A numerical study
• Pseudogap behavior of nuclear spin relaxation in high-T c superconductors in terms of phase separation
• Thermodynamics of the interplay between magnetism and high-temperature superconductivity
• Electronic Phase Separation in the Slightly Underdoped Iron Pnictide SuperconductorBa1−xKxFe2As2

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