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Reversible Tuning of Magnetic Order and Intrinsic Superconductivity in Strained FeTe Films via Stoichiometry Control.
Hao Xu1,2,3, Jing Jiang4,5, Xuesong Gai1,2,3
1Beijing Key Laboratory of Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computing, Beijing Academy of Quantum Information Sciences, Beijing 100193, China.
ACS Nano
|May 27, 2026
Summary
High-purity iron telluride (FeTe) thin films exhibit intrinsic superconductivity above 10 K. Precise stoichiometry control suppresses antiferromagnetism, paving the way for stable superconducting FeTe films.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science
- Superconductivity Research
Background:
- Iron telluride (FeTe) is a foundational material in iron-based superconductors.
- Bulk FeTe exhibits antiferromagnetism, not superconductivity.
- Previous thin-film studies achieved superconductivity via complex methods with unclear mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prepare high-purity, bare FeTe thin films.
- To investigate the magnetic and superconducting properties of these films.
- To elucidate the relationship between stoichiometry, magnetism, and superconductivity in FeTe.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of high-purity FeTe thin films on SrTiO3 using molecular beam epitaxy.
- Microscopic and macroscopic characterizations of magnetic and superconducting states.
- Controlled in-situ annealing for tuning Fe concentration and stoichiometry.
- Theoretical calculations to understand the magnetic ground state.
Main Results:
- Suppression of long-range antiferromagnetic order by reducing interstitial Fe impurities.
- Induction of superconductivity at temperatures above 10 K.
- Enhanced quasiparticle coherence and reduced electron doping.
- Reversible control of superconductivity by adjusting Fe stoichiometry.
- Theoretical prediction of a spin-fluctuated magnetic ground state under tensile strain.
Conclusions:
- Strained FeTe thin films are intrinsically superconducting.
- Precise stoichiometry is crucial for achieving superconductivity in FeTe films.
- This work offers insights into magnetism-superconductivity competition in iron chalcogenides.
- Provides methods for developing stable, high-purity superconducting FeTe films.
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