Bogoliubov Electronic Structure at Individual Impurity Atoms in LiFeAs

ORAL

Abstract

Individual impurity atoms in a superconductor can strongly perturb the surrounding electronic environment and can therefore be used to probe high-temperature superconductivity at the atomic scale. Spectroscopic imaging scanning tunneling microscopy (SI-STM) is an ideal technique for the study of such effects. This has provided the motivation for several theoretical studies predicting the spatial and energetic structure of Bogoliubov electronic states at single impurity atoms in Fe-based superconductors. Here we report on a type of impurity atom that forms a strong in-gap quasi-particles interference (QPI) pattern nearby in the Fe-based superconductor LiFeAs. Our result puts a number of restrictions on theoretical studies of Fe-based superconducting mechanism.

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Authors

  • Yang Xie

    Laboratory of Solid State Physics, Department of Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA

  • M.P. Allan

    CMPMS Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA, Brookhaven National Laboratory, University of St Andrews, Cornell University

  • Andreas Rost

    Laboratory of Solid State Physics, Department of Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA

  • Andy Mackenzie

    SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife KY16 9SS, UK

  • Kunihiro Kihou

    Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568, Japan

  • Hiroshi Eisaki

    AIST, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Japan, Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568, Japan, National Institute of Advanced Industrial and Science Technology, Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Nanoelectronics Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and technology

  • Tien-Ming Chuang

    CMPMS Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA

  • J.C. Seamus Davis

    Cornell, BNL, St. Andrews Univ., Cornell University; Brookhaven National Lab; University of St. Andrews, Scotland; Kavli Institute, Cornell, Cornell University; Brookhaven National Lab; University of St. Andrews, Scotland; Kavli Institute at Cornell, CMPMS Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA, Cornell University, Cornell University, Brookhaven National Lab