Topology meets time-reversal symmetry breaking in FeSe$_{1-x}$Te$_{x}$ superconductor

TL;DR

This study reveals that FeSe$_{1-x}$Te$_{x}$ superconductors exhibit time-reversal symmetry breaking in the bulk, linking topological surface states with unconventional superconductivity, which could be promising for topological quantum computing.

Contribution

It demonstrates the presence of TRSB in FeSe$_{1-x}$Te$_{x}$ superconductors with topological surface states, using $bc$SR, highlighting a new platform for topological superconductivity research.

Findings

Detection of spontaneous magnetic fields below $T_c$ indicating TRSB

Confirmation of topologically nontrivial electronic structures in FeSe$_{1-x}$Te$_{x}$

Potential for exploring topological superconductivity at relatively high $T_c$

Abstract

Time-reversal symmetry breaking (TRSB) in magnetic topological insulators induces a Dirac gap in the topological surface state (TSS), leading to exotic phenomena such as the quantum anomalous Hall effect. Yet, the interplay between TRSB and topology in superconductors remains underexplored due to limited suitable materials. Here we employ zero-field muon spin relaxation ($\mu$SR) as a sensitive probe of TRSB to map out the electronic phase diagrams of iron-chalcogenide superconductors FeSe$_{1-x}$Te$_{x}$. For the Te composition $x=0.64$ with the highest superconducting transition temperature $T_{\rm c}=14.5$ K, which is known to host a TSS and Majorana zero modes within vortices, we detect spontaneous magnetic fields below $T_{\rm c}$ distinct from a magnetic order. This signifies a TRSB superconducting state in the bulk, revealing the convergence of unconventional TRSB superconductivity with topologically nontrivial electronic structures in FeSe$_{1-x}$Te$_{x}$. Given the relatively high $T_{\rm c}$ and the tunability of the Fermi level through chemical substitution, iron-chalcogenide superconductors offer an intriguing platform for investigating the synergy between topological superconductivity and TRSB.