Microstructure and superconductivity of Ir-doped BaFe2As2 superconductor

TL;DR

This study investigates Ir-doped BaFe2As2 superconductors, revealing high critical temperature and magnetic field resilience, with implications for understanding electron doping effects in iron-based superconductors.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the superconducting properties of Ir-doped BaFe2As2, including the highest TC among electron-doped AFe2As2 superconductors and detailed analysis of its microstructure and physics.

Findings

Bulk superconductivity at TC~28 K in x=0.10 sample

Upper critical field Hc2(0) reaches 65 T in x=0.10

Almost single phase samples achieved

Abstract

Polycrystalline samples with nominal composition of Ba(Fe1-xIrx)2As2 (x=0.10, 0.15, and 0.20) were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electrical resistivity, and magnetization measurements. XRD and SEM results showed that almost single phase samples were obtained. Bulk superconductivity with TC~28 K was observed in the x=0.10 sample. TC~28 K is the highest superconducting critical temperature among the reported data for electron-doped AFe2As2-type (A=Ca, Sr, and Ba) superconductors. The upper critical field Hc2(0) reaches as high as 65 T for the x=0.10 sample. The underlying physics is discussed in connection with Co-doping case.