Structural analysis and transport properties of [010]-tilt grain boundaries in Fe(Se,Te)

Abstract: Understanding the nature of grain boundaries is a prerequisite for fabricating high-performance superconducting bulks and wires. For iron-based superconductors [e.g. Ba(Fe,Co)$2$As$_2$, Fe(Se,Te), and NdFeAs(O,F)], the dependence of the critical current density $J\mathrm{c}$ on misorientation angle ($\theta_\mathrm{GB}$) has been explored on [001]-tilt grain boundaries, but no data for other types of orientations have been reported. Here, we report on the structural and transport properties of Fe(Se,Te) grown on CeO$2$-buffered symmetric [010]-tilt roof-type SrTiO$_3$ bicrystal substrates by pulsed laser deposition. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy revealed that $\theta\mathrm{GB}$ of Fe(Se,Te) was smaller whereas $\theta_\mathrm{GB}$ of CeO$2$ was larger than that of the substrate. The difference in $\theta\mathrm{GB}$ between the CeO$2$ buffer layer and the substrate is getting larger with increasing $\theta\mathrm{GB}$. For $\theta_\mathrm{GB}\geq24^\circ$ of the substrates, $\theta_\mathrm{GB}$ of Fe(Se,Te) was zero, whereas $\theta_\mathrm{GB}$ of CeO$2$ was continuously increasing. The inclined growth of CeO$_2$ can be explained by the geometrical coherency model. The $c$-axis growth of Fe(Se,Te) for $\theta\mathrm{GB}\geq24^\circ$ of the substrates is due to the domain matching epitaxy on (221) planes of CeO$2$. Electrical transport measurements confirmed no reduction of inter-grain $J\mathrm{c}$ for $\theta_\mathrm{GB}\leq9^\circ$, indicative of strong coupling between the grains.