Pairing symmetry is a fundamental property that characterizes a superconductor. For the iron-based high-temperature superconductors, an s(±)-wave pairing symmetry has received increasing experimental and theoretical support. More specifically, the superconducting order parameter is an isotropic s-wave type around a particular Fermi surface, but it has opposite signs between the hole Fermi surfaces at the zone centre and the electron Fermi surfaces at the zone corners. Here we report the low-energy electronic structure of the newly discovered superconductors, A(x)Fe(2)Se(2) (A=K,Cs) with a superconducting transition temperature (Tc) of about 30 K. We found A(x)Fe(2)Se(2) (A=K,Cs) is the most heavily electron-doped among all iron-based superconductors. Large electron Fermi surfaces are observed around the zone corners, with an almost isotropic superconducting gap of ~10.3 meV, whereas there is no hole Fermi surface near the zone centre, which demonstrates that interband scattering or Fermi surface nesting is not a necessary ingredient for the unconventional superconductivity in iron-based superconductors. Thus, the sign change in the s(±) pairing symmetry driven by the interband scattering as suggested in many weak coupling theories becomes conceptually irrelevant in describing the superconducting state here. A more conventional s-wave pairing is probably a better description.

The superconductivity discovered in iron-pnictides is intimately related to a nematic ground state, where the C4 rotational symmetry is broken via the structural and magnetic transitions. We here study the nematicity in NaFeAs with the polarization dependent angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. A uniaxial strain was applied on the sample to overcome the twinning effect in the low temperature C2-symmetric state, and obtain a much simpler electronic structure than that of a twinned sample. We found the electronic structure undergoes an orbital-dependent reconstruction in the nematic state, primarily involving the dxy-and dyz-dominated bands. These bands strongly hybridize with each other, inducing a band splitting, while the dxz-dominated bands only exhibit an energy shift without any reconstruction. These findings suggest that the development of orbitaldependent spin polarization is likely the dominant force to drive the nematicity, while the ferroorbital ordering between dxz and dyz orbitals can only play a minor role here.

We report the synthesis, crystal structure, and physical properties of a quinary iron arsenide fluoride, KCa2Fe4As4F2. The new compound crystallizes in a body-centered tetragonal lattice (space group I4/mmm, a = 3.8684(2) Å, c = 31.007(1) Å, Z = 2) that contains double Fe2As2 conducting layers separated by insulating Ca2F2 layers. Our measurements of electrical resistivity, direct-current magnetic susceptibility, and heat capacity demonstrate bulk superconductivity at 33 K in KCa2Fe4As4F2.

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The unconventional superconductivity in the newly discovered iron-based superconductors is intimately related to its multi-band/multi-orbital nature. Here we report the comprehensive orbital characters of the low-energy three-dimensional electronic structure in BaFe1.85Co0.15As2 by studying the polarization and photon energy dependence of angle-resolved photoemission data. While the distributions of the dxz, dyz, and d 3z 2 −r 2 orbitals agree with the prediction of density functional theory, those of the dxy and d x 2 −y 2 orbitals show remarkable disagreement with theory. Our results point out the inadequacy of the existing band structure calculations, and more importantly, provide a foundation for constructing the correct microscopic model of iron pnictides.