IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v16y2025i1d10.1038_s41467-025-65902-w.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Superconductivity and suppressed monoclinic distortion in FeTe films enabled by higher-order epitaxy

Author

Listed:
  • Yuki Sato

    (RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS))

  • Soma Nagahama

    (University of Tokyo, Department of Applied Physics and Quantum-phase Electronics Center (QPEC))

  • Shunsuke Kitou

    (University of Tokyo, Department of Advanced Materials Science)

  • Hajime Sagayama

    (High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, Institute of Materials Structure Science)

  • Ilya Belopolski

    (RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS))

  • Ryutaro Yoshimi

    (RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS)
    University of Tokyo, Department of Advanced Materials Science)

  • Minoru Kawamura

    (RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS))

  • Atsushi Tsukazaki

    (University of Tokyo, Department of Applied Physics and Quantum-phase Electronics Center (QPEC)
    Tohoku University, Institute for Materials Research (IMR))

  • Naoya Kanazawa

    (University of Tokyo, Institute of Industrial Science)

  • Takuya Nomoto

    (Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji, Department of Physics)

  • Ryotaro Arita

    (RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS)
    University of Tokyo, Department of Physics)

  • Taka-hisa Arima

    (RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS)
    University of Tokyo, Department of Advanced Materials Science)

  • Masashi Kawasaki

    (RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS)
    University of Tokyo, Department of Applied Physics and Quantum-phase Electronics Center (QPEC))

  • Yoshinori Tokura

    (RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS)
    University of Tokyo, Department of Applied Physics and Quantum-phase Electronics Center (QPEC)
    University of Tokyo, Tokyo College)

Abstract

Molecular beam epitaxy enables the growth of thin film materials with novel properties and functionalities. Typically, the lattice constants of films and substrates are designed to match to minimise disorders and strains. However, significant lattice mismatches can result in higher-order epitaxy, where commensurate growth occurs with a period defined by integer multiples of the lattice constants. Despite its potential, higher-order epitaxy is rarely used to enhance material properties or induce emergent phenomena. Here, we report single-crystalline FeTe films grown via 6:5 commensurate higher-order epitaxy on CdTe(001) substrates. Scanning transmission electron microscopy reveals self-organised periodic interstitials near the interface, arising from higher-order lattice matching. Synchrotron x-ray diffraction shows that the tetragonal-to-monoclinic structural transition in bulk FeTe is strongly suppressed. Remarkably, these films exhibit substrate-selective two-dimensional superconductivity, likely due to suppressed monoclinic distortion. These findings demonstrate the potential of higher-order epitaxy as a tool to control materials and inducing emergent phenomena.

Suggested Citation

  • Yuki Sato & Soma Nagahama & Shunsuke Kitou & Hajime Sagayama & Ilya Belopolski & Ryutaro Yoshimi & Minoru Kawamura & Atsushi Tsukazaki & Naoya Kanazawa & Takuya Nomoto & Ryotaro Arita & Taka-hisa Arim, 2025. "Superconductivity and suppressed monoclinic distortion in FeTe films enabled by higher-order epitaxy," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-65902-w
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-65902-w
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-65902-w
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-025-65902-w?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-65902-w. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.