Superconducting Fourfold Fe(Te,Se) Film on Sixfold Magnetic MnTe via Hybrid Symmetry Epitaxy

Epitaxial Fe(Te,Se) thin films have been grown on various substrates but never been grown on magnetic layers. Here we report the epitaxial growth of fourfold Fe(Te,Se) film on a sixfold antiferromagnetic insulator, MnTe. The Fe(Te,Se)/MnTe heterostructure shows a clear superconducting transition at around 11 K, and the critical magnetic field measurement suggests the origin of the superconductivity to be bulk-like. Structural characterizations suggest that the uniaxial lattice match between Fe(Te,Se) and MnTe allows a hybrid symmetry epitaxy mode, which was recently discovered between Fe(Te,Se) and Bi2Te3. Furthermore, the Te/Fe flux ratio during deposition of the Fe(Te,Se) layer is found to be critical for its superconductivity. Now that superconducting Fe(Te,Se) can be grown on two related hexagonal platforms, Bi2Te3 and MnTe, this result opens a new possibility of combining topological superconductivity of Fe(Te,Se) with the rich physics in the intrinsic magnetic topological materials (MnTe)(n)(Bi2Te3)m family.

Automated summary

Epitaxial Fe(Te,Se) thin films have been successfully grown on a sixfold antiferromagnetic insulator, MnTe, exhibiting superconductivity with a clear transition around 11 K. The lattice match between Fe(Te,Se) and MnTe allows a hybrid symmetry epitaxy mode, and the Te/Fe flux ratio during deposition is critical for the superconductivity. This discovery opens up new possibilities for combining topological superconductivity with the rich physics of the MnTe-Bi2Te3 family.