Effect of neutron irradiation on the properties of FeSe compound in superconducting and normal states

TL;DR

This study investigates how fast neutron irradiation affects the superconducting and normal properties of polycrystalline FeSe, revealing only minor changes in critical temperature and resistivity due to low defect concentrations.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the resilience of FeSe's properties under neutron irradiation, highlighting its potential stability compared to other layered compounds.

Findings

Superconducting transition temperature T_c shows small changes after irradiation.

Electrical resistivity Rho_25 remains relatively stable post-irradiation.

Low defect concentration explains minimal property alterations.

Abstract

Effect of atomic disordering induced by irradiation with fast neutrons on the properties of the normal and superconducting states of polycrystalline samples FeSe has been studied. The irradiation with fast neutrons of fluencies up to 1.25\cdot10^20 cm^-2 at the irradiation temperature Tirr ~ 50 \degree C results in relatively small changes in the temperature of the superconducting transition T_c and electrical resistivity Rho_25. Such a behavior is considered to be traceable to rather low, with respect to that possible at a given irradiation temperature, concentration of radiation defects, which is caused by a simpler crystal structure, considered to other layered compounds.