LiFeAs: An intrinsic FeAs-based superconductor with T c = 18   K

The synthesis and properties of LiFeAs, a high-${T}_{c}$ Fe-based superconducting stoichiometric compound, are reported. Single crystal x-ray studies reveal that it crystallizes in the tetragonal PbFCl type (P4/nmm) with $a=3.7914(7)\text{ }\text{\AA{}}$ and $c=6.364(2)\text{ }\text{\AA{}}$. Unlike the known isoelectronic undoped intrinsic FeAs compounds, LiFeAs does not show any spin-density wave behavior but exhibits superconductivity at ambient pressures without chemical doping. It exhibits a respectable transition temperature of ${T}_{c}=18\text{ }\text{K}$ with electronlike carriers and a very high critical field, ${\text{H}}_{c2}(0)>80\text{ }\text{T}$. LiFeAs appears to be the chemical equivalent of…