Synthesis of Murunskite Single Crystals: A Bridge Between Cuprates and Pnictides
Abstract
Numerous contemporary investigations in condensed matter physics are devoted to high temperature (high- ) cuprate superconductors. Despite its unique effulgence among research subjects, the enigma of the high- mechanism still persists. One way to advance its understanding is to discover and study new analogous systems. Here we begin a novel exploration of the natural mineral murunskite, KFeCuS, as an interpolation compound between cuprates and ferropnictides, the only known high- superconductors at ambient pressure. Because in-depth studies can be carried out only on single crystals, we have mastered the synthesis and growth of high quality specimens. Similar to the cuprate parent compounds, these show semiconducting behavior in resistivity and optical transmittance, and an antiferromagnetic ordering at 100 K. Spectroscopy (XPS) and calculations (DFT) concur that the sulfur 3 orbitals are partially open, making them accessible for charge manipulation, which is a prerequisite for superconductivity in analogous layered structures. DFT indicates that the valence band is more cuprate-like, while the conduction band is more pnictide-like. With appropriate doping strategies, this parent compound promises exciting future developments.
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Cite
@article{arxiv.2106.09555,
title = {Synthesis of Murunskite Single Crystals: A Bridge Between Cuprates and Pnictides},
author = {Davor Tolj and Trpimir Ivšić and Ivica Živković and Konstantin Semeniuk and Edoardo Martino and Ana Akrap and Priyanka Reddy and Benjamin Klebel-Knobloch and Ivor Lončarić and László Forró and Neven Barišić and Henrik Rønnow and Denis K. Sunko},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2106.09555},
year = {2022}
}