Exotic vortex states at high magnetic fields in a quasi-two-dimensional FeSe-based superconductor

TL;DR

This study maps the vortex phase diagram of a quasi-two-dimensional FeSe-based superconductor under high magnetic fields, revealing exotic vortex states influenced by electronic correlations and fluctuations, with implications for high-temperature superconductivity.

Contribution

It provides the first comprehensive high-field phase diagram of vortex states in a FeSe-based superconductor, highlighting the presence of exotic vortex phases beyond classical models.

Findings

Vortex solid state exhibits fragile superconductivity similar to cuprates with CDW.

Intermediate vortex-like phase with phase fluctuations appears near Tc.

Vortex liquid state emerges at higher temperatures due to thermal fluctuations.

Abstract

Owing to strong electronic correlations, high-temperature superconductivity always exhibits intricate intertwinement with various competing electronic orders in phase diagrams, such as spin/charge density waves (S/CDWs). In cuprate superconductors,the intertwinement of superconductivity and CDW order could strongly affect the fundamental properties of superconductivity, such as the critical temperature(Tc) and critical magnetic field(Hc). Recent high-field transport measurements indicate that when quantum fluctuations become important at low temperatures and high magnetic fields, the CDW order also reshapes the vortex states, which leads to fragile superconductivity with extremely low critical current(Jc). Here, by performing comprehensive high-field transport measurements, the H-T phase diagram of vortex states is mapped to H = 33 T in a quasi-two-dimensional FeSe-based superconductor (TBA+)xFeSe with a zero-resistivity transition temperature above 40 K. Our results indicate that (TBA+)xFeSe is an extremely type II superconductor with significant thermal fluctuations.At low temperatures, high magnetic fields cause the vortex solid state to exhibit similar current-dependent zero-resistance behavior as the fragile superconductivity in cuprate superconductors with CDW order. When the vortex solid state is melted with increasing temperature, a superconducting regime with vortex-like phase fluctuations emerges as an intermediate state, which features finite longitudinal resistance and vanishing Hall resistance. At higher temperatures, a vortex liquid state with finite Hall resistance eventually appears due to thermal fluctuations. All these observations suggest exotic vortex states beyond the classical paradigm of vortex matter.