Anomalous Temperature Dependence of the Superfluid Density Caused by Dirty-to-Clean Crossover in FeSe$_{0.4}$Te$_{0.6}$ Single Crystals

TL;DR

This study investigates the unusual temperature dependence of superfluid density in FeSe$_{0.4}$Te$_{0.6}$ crystals, revealing a crossover from dirty to clean regimes affecting superconducting properties.

Contribution

It provides evidence for a dirty-to-clean crossover in superfluid density behavior, supported by microwave measurements and analysis of impurity effects in FeSe$_{0.4}$Te$_{0.6}$.

Findings

Superfluid density shows a power-law temperature dependence with an exponent around 2.

The behavior deviates from BCS theory, indicating impurity scattering effects.

Rapid increase in quasiparticle scattering time supports the dirty-to-clean crossover.

Abstract

We report microwave surface impedances of FeSe$_{0.4}$Te$_{0.6}$ single crystals measured at 12, 19, and 44 GHz. The penetration depth exhibits a power law behavior, $\delta \lambda_L=\lambda_L (T)-\lambda_L (0) \propto CT^n$ with an exponent $n\simeq 2$, which is considered to result from impurity scattering. This behavior is consistent with $s\pm$-wave pairing symmetry. The temperature dependence of the superfluid density largely deviates from the behavior expected in the BCS theory. We believe that this deviation is caused by the crossover from the dirty regime near $T_c$ to the clean regime at low temperatures, which is supported by the rapid increase of the quasiparticle scattering time obtained from the microwave conductivity. We also believe that the previously published data of the superfluid density can be interpreted in this scenario.