Magnetic excitations in iron chalcogenide superconductors

Abstract

Nuclear magnetic resonance and neutron scattering experiments in iron chalcogenide superconductors are reviewed to make a survey of the magnetic excitations in FeSe, FeSe_1−xTe_x and alkali-metal-doped A_xFe_2−ySe₂ (A = K, Rb, Cs, etc). In FeSe, the intimate relationship between the spin fluctuations and superconductivity can be seen universally for the variations in the off-stoichiometry, the Co-substitution and applied pressure. The isovalent compound FeTe has a magnetic ordering with different wave vector from that of other Fe-based magnetic materials. The transition temperature T_c of FeSe increases with Te substitution in FeSe_1−xTe_x with small x, and decreases in the vicinity of the end member FeTe. The spin fluctuations are drastically modified by the Te substitution. In the vicinity of the end member FeTe, the low-energy part of the spin fluctuation is dominated by the wave vector of the ordered phase of FeTe; however, the reduction of T_c shows that it does not support superconductivity. The presence of same wave vector as that of other Fe-based superconductors in FeSe_1−xTe_x and the observation of the resonance mode demonstrate that FeSe_1−xTe_x belongs to the same group as most of other Fe-based superconductors in the entire range of x, where superconductivity is mediated by the spin fluctuations whose wave vector is the same as the nesting vector between the hole pockets and the electron pockets. On the other hand, the spin fluctuations differ for alkali-metal-doped A_xFe_2−ySe₂ and FeSe or other Fe-based superconductors in their wave vector and strength in the low-energy part, most likely because of the different Fermi surfaces. The resonance mode with different wave vector suggests that A_xFe_2−ySe₂ has an exceptional superconducting symmetry among Fe-based superconductors.

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http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1088/1468-6996