Superconductivity at Tc = 44 K in LixFe2Se2(NH3)y

TL;DR

This study reports the synthesis of new LixFe2Se2(NH3)y superconductors with a Tc of 44 K, highlighting the role of ammonia intercalation in enhancing superconducting properties compared to other alkali-metal intercalates.

Contribution

It introduces new intercalated FeSe phases with ammonia, demonstrating higher Tc and elucidating the role of ammonia as both electron donor and spacer.

Findings

Superconducting transition temperature of 44 K achieved.

High shielding fractions of nearly 80%.

Enhanced c-axis lattice parameter compared to other intercalates.

Abstract

Following a recent proposal by Burrard-Lucas et al. [unpublished, arXiv: 1203.5046] we intercalated FeSe by Li in liquid ammonia. We report on the synthesis of new LixFe2Se2(NH3)y phases as well as on their magnetic and superconducting properties. We suggest that the superconducting properties of these new hybride materials appear not to be influenced by the presence of electronically-innocent Li(NH2) salt moieties. Indeed, high onset temperatures of 44 K and shielding fractions of almost 80% were only obtained in samples containing exclusively Lix(NH3)y moieties acting simultaneously as electron donors and spacer units. The c-axis of the new intercalated phases is strongly enhanced when compared to the alkali-metal intercalated iron selenides A1-xFe2-ySe2 with A = K, Rb, Cs, Tl with T c = 32 K.