KFe_2Se_2 is the parent compound of K-doped iron selenide superconductors

TL;DR

This study identifies KFe2Se2 as the parent compound of K-doped iron selenide superconductors, revealing phase separation and the roles of vacancies and magnetic interactions in inducing superconductivity.

Contribution

It provides the first direct identification of the parent compound and clarifies the phase relationships and mechanisms leading to superconductivity in K-doped iron selenides.

Findings

KFe2Se2 is the parent compound with  charge ordering.

Superconductivity arises from Se vacancies or magnetic interactions.

Four distinct phases coexist at the mesoscopic scale.

Abstract

We elucidate the existing controversies in the newly discovered K-doped iron selenide (KxFe2-ySe2-z) superconductors. The stoichiometric KFe2Se2 with \surd2\times\surd2 charge ordering was identified as the parent compound of KxFe2-ySe2-z superconductor using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. The superconductivity is induced in KFe2Se2 by either Se vacancies or interacting with the anti-ferromagnetic K2Fe4Se5 compound. Totally four phases were found to exist in KxFe2-ySe2-z: parent compound KFe2Se2, superconducting KFe2Se2 with \surd2\times\surd5 charge ordering, superconducting KFe2Se2-z with Se vacancies and insulating K2Fe4Se5 with \surd5\times\surd5 Fe vacancy order. The phase separation takes place at the mesoscopic scale under standard molecular beam epitaxy condition.