Anomalous heat capacity and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of superconducting FeSe1/2Te1/2

Abstract

The bulk polycrystalline sample FeSe1/2Te1/2 is synthesized via the solid state reaction route in an evacuated, sealed quartz tube at 750°C. The presence of superconductivity is confirmed through magnetization/thermoelectric/resistivity studies. It is found that the superconducting transition temperature (Tc) is around 12 K. The heat capacity (Cp) of superconducting FeSe1−xTex exhibits a hump near Tc, instead of a well-defined lambda transition. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies reveal well-defined positions for divalent Fe, Se, and Te, but with sufficient hybridization of the Fe (2p) and Se/Te (3d) core levels. In particular, divalent Fe is shifted to a higher binding energy, and Se and Te to a lower one. The situation is similar to that observed previously for the famous Cu-based high Tc superconductors, where the Cu (3d) orbital hybridizes with O (2p). We also found the satellite peak of Fe at 712.00 eV, which is attributed to the charge-carrier localization induced by Fe at the 2c site.