Electronic phase diagram of Fe$_{1+y}$Te$_{1-x}$Se$_{x}$ revealed by magnetotransport measurements

TL;DR

This study maps the doping-temperature phase diagram of Fe$_{1+y}$Te$_{1-x}$Se$_{x}$ superconductors using magnetotransport measurements, revealing a new electronic phase diagram facilitated by a novel Te-annealing method that removes excess Fe.

Contribution

The paper introduces a Te-annealing technique to accurately determine the phase diagram of Fe$_{1+y}$Te$_{1-x}$Se$_{x}$, uncovering a third type of electronic phase diagram in Fe-based high-$T_c$ superconductors.

Findings

Crossover from incoherent to coherent electronic state at ~150 K for x=0.2

Pseudogap opening at high temperatures (~150 K)

Emergence of a multi-band phase below ~50 K before superconductivity

Abstract

Among the Fe-based superconductors, Fe$_{1+y}$Te$_{1-x}$Se$_{x}$ is unique in that its crystal structure is the simplest and the electron correlation level is the strongest, and thus it is important to investigate the doping($x$)-temperature ($T$) phase diagram of this system. However, inevitably incorporated excess Fe currently prevents the establishment of the true phase diagram. We overcome the aforementioned significant problem via developing a new annealing method termed as "Te-annealing" wherein single crystals are annealed under Te vapor. Specifically, we conducted various magnetotransport measurements on Te-annealed superconducting Fe$_{1+y}$Te$_{1-x}$Se$_{x}$. We observed that crossover from the incoherent to the coherent electronic state and opening of the pseudogap occurs at high temperatures ($\approx$ 150 K for $x$ = 0.2). This is accompanied by a more substantial pseudogap and the emergence of a phase with a multi-band nature at lower temperatures (below $\approx$ 50 K for $x$ = 0.2) before superconductivity sets in. Based on the results, the third type electronic phase diagram in Fe-based high-$T_c$ superconductors is revealed.