Iron isotope effect on Tc in optimally-doped (Ba,K)Fe2As2 (Tc = 38 K) and SmFeAsO1−y (Tc = 54 K) superconductors

Abstract

We report the iron isotope effect on a transition temperature (Tc) in an optimally-doped (Ba,K)Fe2As2 (Tc=38K) and SmFeAsO1−y (Tc=54K) superconductors. In order to obtain the reliable isotope shift in Tc, twin samples with different iron isotope mass are synthesized in the same conditions (simultaneously) under high-pressure. We have found that (Ba,K)Fe2As2 shows an inverse iron isotope effect αFe=−0.18±0.03 while SmFeAsO1−y shows a small iron isotope effect αFe=−0.02±0.01, where the isotope exponent α is defined by Tc∼M−α (M is the isotopic mass). The results show that αFe changes in the iron-based superconductors depending on the system. The distinct iron isotope effects imply the exotic coupling mechanism in the iron-based superconductors.