Strain-stabilized (π,π) order at the surface of Fe1+xTe
Abstract
A key property of many quantum materials is that their ground state depends sensitively on small changes of an external tuning parameter, e.g., doping, magnetic field, or pressure, creating opportunities for potential technological applications. Here, we explore tuning of the ground state of the nonsuperconducting parent compound, Fe1+xTe, of the iron chalcogenides by uniaxial strain. Iron telluride exhibits a peculiar (π, 0) antiferromagnetic order unlike the (π, π) order observed in the Fe-pnictide superconductors. The (π, 0) order is accompanied by a significant monoclinic distortion. We explore tuning of the ground state by uniaxial strain combined with low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy. We demonstrate that, indeed under strain, the surface of Fe1.1Te undergoes a transition to a (π, π)-charge-ordered state. Comparison with transport experiments on uniaxially strained samples shows that this is a surface phase, demonstrating the opportunities afforded by 2D correlated phases stabilized near surfaces and interfaces.
Citation
Yim , C M , Panja , S , Trainer , C , Topping , C , Heil , C , Gibbs , A , Magdysyuk , O , Tsurkan , V , Loidl , A , Rost , A W & Wahl , P 2021 , ' Strain-stabilized (π,π) order at the surface of Fe 1+ x Te ' , Nano Letters , vol. 21 , no. 7 , pp. 2786-2792 . https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c04821
Publication
Nano Letters
Status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
1530-6984Type
Journal article
Description
C.M.Y., S.N.P., A.W.R., and P.W. acknowledge support from EPSRC through EP/S005005/1, and C.To. and A.W.R. through EP/P024564/1. C.M.Y. acknowledges additional support from a Shanghai talent program and funding through the Shanghai Pujiang Program (20PJ1408200). C.H. acknowledges support from the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), project no. P 32144-N36, and the VSC4 of the Vienna University of Technology.Collections
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