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Superconductivity above 100 K in single-layer FeSe films on doped SrTiO3

Abstract

Recent experiments on FeSe films grown on SrTiO3 (STO) suggest that interface effects can be used as a means to reach superconducting critical temperatures (Tc) of up to 80 K (ref. 1). This is nearly ten times the Tc of bulk FeSe and higher than the record value of 56 K for known bulk Fe-based superconductors2. Together with recent studies of superconductivity at oxide heterostructure interfaces3,4,5,6, these results rekindle the long-standing idea that electron pairing at interfaces between two different materials can be tailored to achieve high-temperature superconductivity7,8,9,10,11,12. Subsequent angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements of the FeSe/STO system revealed an electronic structure distinct from bulk FeSe (refs 13, 14), with an energy gap vanishing at around 65 K. However, ex situ electrical transport measurements1,15 have so far detected zero resistance—the key experimental signature of superconductivity—only below 30 K. Here, we report the observation of superconductivity with Tc above 100 K in the FeSe/STO system by means of in situ four-point probe electrical transport measurements. This finding confirms FeSe/STO as an ideal material for studying high-Tc superconductivity.

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Figure 1: Growth and characterization of a high-quality single-layer film of FeSe.
Figure 2: 4PP transport measurement set-up.
Figure 3: Temperature and external magnetic-field dependence of the electrical transport properties of the single-layer film of FeSe.
Figure 4: Influence of an external magnetic field on the zero resistance detected in 4PP transport measurement on another FeSe/STO sample.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge helpful discussions with X. Ma, L. Wang, W. Zhang, D. Feng, F. Zhang, N. Samarth and T. Leggett. Financial support from the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant Nos 2012CB927400, 2011CB921902, 2013CB921902 and 2011CB922200), NSFC (Grant Nos 11227404, 11374206, 91021002, 11274228, 10904090, 11174199, 11134008, 11274229 and 1147198) and the Shanghai Committee of Science and Technology, China (Grant Nos 12JC1405300, 13QH1401500 and 10JC1407100) is gratefully acknowledged.

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J-F.G. and Z-L.L. conducted the experiments. C.L., Q-K.X. and J-F.J. designed the experiments and provided financial and other supports for the experiments. C.L, Y.L., Q-K.X., J-F.G., C-L.G., D.Q. and J-F.J. analysed the data. C.L, Y.L., Q-K.X., and J-F.J. wrote the paper.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Canhua Liu, Qi-Kun Xue or Jin-Feng Jia.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Ge, JF., Liu, ZL., Liu, C. et al. Superconductivity above 100 K in single-layer FeSe films on doped SrTiO3. Nature Mater 14, 285–289 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat4153

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