Disappearance of static magnetic order and evolution of spin fluctuations in Fe1+δ Sex Te1-x

Abstract

We report neutron-scattering studies on static magnetic orders and spin excitations in the Fe-based chalcogenide system Fe1+δ Sex Te1-x with different Fe and Se compositions. Short-range static magnetic order with an in-plane wave vector near the (0.5,0) (using the two-Fe unit cell), together with strong low-energy magnetic excitations is found in all nonsuperconducting samples for Se doping up to 45%. When the static order disappears and bulk superconductivity emerges, the spectral weight of the magnetic excitations shifts to the region of reciprocal space near the in-plane wave vector (0.5, 0.5), corresponding to "collinear" spin correlations. Our results suggest that there is a strong correlation between superconductivity and the character of the magnetic order/fluctuations in this system. Excess Fe appears to be important for stabilizing the magnetic order that competes with superconductivity. © 2010 The American Physical Society.