Antiferromagnetic order and superlattice structure in nonsuperconducting and superconducting RbyFe(1.6+x)Se2

Neutron diffraction has been used to study the lattice and magnetic structures of the insulating and superconducting Rb$_y$Fe$_{1.6+x}$Se$_2$. For the insulating Rb$_{y}$Fe$_{1.6+x}$Se$_2$, neutron polarization analysis and single crystal neutron diffraction unambiguously confirm the earlier proposed $sqrt{5}timessqrt{5}$ block antiferromagnetic structure. For superconducting samples ($T_c=30$ K), we find that in addition to the tetragonal $sqrt{5}timessqrt{5}$ superlattice structure transition at 513 K, the material develops a separate $sqrt{2}times sqrt{2}$ superlattice structure at a lower temperature of 480 K. These results suggest that superconducting Rb$_{y}$Fe$_{1.6+x}$Se$_2$ is phase separated with coexisting $sqrt{2}times sqrt{2}$ and $sqrt{5}timessqrt{5}$ superlattice structures.