Phase-Separation Control of KxFe2-ySe2 Superconductor through Rapid-Quenching Process

KxFe2−ySe2 exhibits iron-vacancy ordering at Ts ∼ 270 °C and separates into two phases: a minor superconducting (iron-vacancy-disordered) phase and a major non-superconducting (iron-vacancy-ordered) phase. The microstructural and superconducting properties of this intermixture can be tuned by an appropriate control of the quenching process through Ts. A faster quenching rate leads to a finer microstructure and a suppression of formation of the non-superconducting phase by up to 50%. Nevertheless, such a faster cooling rate induces a monotonic reduction in the superconducting transition temperature (from 30.7 to 26.0 K) and, simultaneously, a decrease in the iron content within the superconducting phase such that the compositional ratio changed from K0.35Fe1.83Se2 to K0.58Fe1.71Se2.