Superconductivity in Co-doped SmFeAsO

TL;DR

This study reports the synthesis and characterization of Co-doped SmFeAsO, demonstrating that Co doping suppresses antiferromagnetic order and induces superconductivity at 15 K, highlighting differences between cuprate and iron-based superconductors.

Contribution

First demonstration of superconductivity in Co-doped SmFeAsO with detailed synthesis and characterization, showing tolerance to disorder in FeAs planes.

Findings

Superconductivity at 15 K in Co-doped SmFeAsO

Suppression of antiferromagnetic order by Co doping

Tolerance to disorder in FeAs planes

Abstract

Here we report the synthesis and basic characterization of SmFe1-xCoxAsO (x=0.10, 0.15). The parent compound SmFeAsO itself is not superconducting but shows an antiferromagnetic order near 150 K, which must be suppressed by doping before superconductivity emerges. With Co-doping in the FeAs planes, antiferromagnetic order is destroyed and superconductivity occurs at 15 K. Similar to LaFe1-xCoxAsO, the SmFe1-xCoxAsO system appears to tolerate considerable disorder in the FeAs planes. This result is important, which indicates difference between cuprare superconductors and the iron-based arsenide ones.