Phase separation in the iron chalcogenide superconductor Fe 1+y Te x Se 1-x
We present direct evidence for phase separation and chemical inhomogeneity in Fe1+yTexSe1-x single crystals from scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) data. In STEM, images recorded using a high-angle annular dark field (HAADF) detector show characteristic nanometer-scale patterns of phase separation from the Z-dependent image contrast. The separation was observed both in non-superconducting samples with excess iron and in superconducting samples. Using EELS, we determined ~20% (or lower) fluctuation in Te concentration from the average local compositions by integrating the intensity of the Te-M4,5 edge. The energy-loss near-edge structure (ELNES) of the Fe-L2,3 edge changes with varying composition, especially the L3/L2 white-line intensity ratio, which is sensitive to the d-state occupancy of the Fe. The results suggest a miscibility gap in the Fe1+yTexSe1-x system and changes in the d-electron states at the nanometer scale from the separated phases.
- Research Organization:
- Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). Center for Emergent Superconductivity (CES)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-98CH10886
- OSTI ID:
- 1385592
- Journal Information:
- New Journal of Physics, Vol. 13, Issue 5; Related Information: CES partners with Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL); Argonne National Laboratory; University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Los Alamos National Laboratory; ISSN 1367-2630
- Publisher:
- IOP Publishing
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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