Topology meets time-reversal symmetry breaking in FeSe_1-xTe_x superconductors.

ABSTRACT: Time-reversal symmetry breaking (TRSB) in magnetic topological insulators induces a Dirac gap in the topological surface state (TSS), leading to exotic phenomena such as the quantum anomalous Hall effect. Yet, the interplay between TRSB and topology in superconductors remains underexplored due to limited suitable materials. Here we employ zero-field muon spin relaxation (μSR) as a sensitive probe of TRSB to map out the electronic phase diagrams of iron-chalcogenide superconductors FeSe_1-xTe_x. For the Te composition x = 0.64 with the highest superconducting transition temperature T_c = 14.5 K, which is known to host a TSS and Majorana zero modes within vortices, we detect spontaneous magnetic fields below T_c distinct from a magnetic order. This sig

SUBMITTER: Roppongi M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12287532 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature