Element Substitution Effect in Transition Metal Oxypnictide Re(O _{1- <i>x</i>} F _<i>x</i> )TAs (Re = rare earth, T = transition metal)

Abstract

Different element substitution effects in transition metal oxypnictide Re(O1-xFx)TAs, with Re = La, Ce, Nd, Eu, Gd, Tm, T = Fe, Ni, Ru, are studied. Similar to the La- or Ce-based systems, we find that the pure NdOFeAs shows a strong resistivity anomaly near 145 K, which is ascribed to the spin-density-wave instability. Electron doping by F increases Tc to about 50 K. While in the case of Gd, Tc is reduced below 10 K. The tetragonal ZrCuSiAs-type structure could not be formed for Eu or Tm substitution in our preparing process. For the Ni-based case, although both pure and F-doped LaONiAs are superconducting, no superconductivity is found when La is replaced by Ce in both the cases, instead a ferromagnetic ordering transition is likely to form at low temperature in the undoped sample. We also synthesize LaO1-xFxRuAs and CeO1-xFxRuAs compounds. The metallic behaviour is observed down to 4K.