Superconductivity in iron compounds

Abstract

Kamihara and coworkers' report of superconductivity at Tc = 26 K in\nfluorine-doped LaFeAsO inspired a worldwide effort to understand the nature of\nthe superconductivity in this new class of compounds. These iron pnictide and\nchalcogenide (FePn/Ch) superconductors have Fe electrons at the Fermi surface,\nplus an unusual Fermiology that can change rapidly with doping, which lead to\nnormal and superconducting state properties very different from those in\nstandard electron-phonon coupled 'conventional' superconductors. Clearly\nsuperconductivity and magnetism/magnetic fluctuations are intimately related in\nthe FePn/Ch - and even coexist in some. Open questions, including the\nsuperconducting nodal structure in a number of compounds, abound and are often\ndependent on improved sample quality for their solution. With Tc values up to\n56 K, the six distinct Fe-containing superconducting structures exhibit complex\nbut often comparable behaviors. The search for correlations and explanations in\nthis fascinating field of research would benefit from an organization of the\nlarge, seemingly disparate data set. This review attempts to provide an\noverview, using numerous references, with a focus on the materials and their\nsuperconductivity.\n

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Affiliated Institutions

• University of Florida US

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