Chemical Pressure Boost Record-High Superconductivity in van der Waals Materials FeSe1-xSx

High pressure has become a powerful platform for creating and controlling novel states of matter, including high temperature (T-c) superconductivity. However, the emergent phenomena generally disappear as high pressure is removed and cloud prospects for future applications. Here, from a distinguishing perspective, FeSe1-xSx is reported as 2D van der Waals materials with extraordinary high-T-c at ambient pressure, where the superconductivity is boosted by extreme chemical pressure inside the materials. Superior to external high pressure, isovalent S substitution in FeSe leads to a much greater compression rate within the superconducting iron-chalcogenide layer, which guarantees an unabridged superconducting dome that peaked at 37.5 K. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the decreased lattice and structural parameters contribute together for the shift of Fe 3d(x)(2-)(y)(2) orbital, which creates a new hole-pocket at the Fermi level that intimately correlated with the enhanced superconductivity. This study demonstrates the design of materials with optimized superconductivity by introducing chemical pressure.

Automated summary

By introducing isovalent sulfur substitution in FeSe, a much greater compression rate within the superconducting iron-chalcogenide layer is achieved, leading to an unabridged superconducting dome peaking at 37.5 K. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the decreased lattice and structural parameters contribute to the shift of Fe 3d(x)(2-)(y)(2) orbital, creating a new hole-pocket at the Fermi level that is intimately correlated with enhanced superconductivity.