Oxygen vacancy modulated superconductivity in monolayer FeSe on SrTiO3−δ

Abstract

The monolayer FeSe on $\mathrm{SrTi}{\mathrm{O}}_{3\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\delta}}$ exhibits a twofold enlarged pairing gap compared with other electron-doped FeSe, which is postulated to originate from cooperative effects of interface charge transfer and electron-boson interaction that relate closely to surface oxygen vacancies in $\mathrm{SrTi}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$. We create gradient oxygen vacancies on the surface of $\mathrm{SrTi}{\mathrm{O}}_{3\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\delta}}$ substrates using direct current heating. Combining spatially resolved spectroscopy characterizations, we disclose gradient pairing gaps but negligible doping variation in monolayer FeSe on such substrates. As oxygen vacancy concentration gradually increases from the anode to cathode region, the pairing gap increases from 12 to 17 meV, right beyond the values of electron-doped FeSe. This modulation provides a platform for spatially resolved investigations to unveil the interplay between electronic correlation and electron-phonon interaction and their cooperation to drive superconductivity.