Spatially Separated Superconductivity and Enhanced Charge-Density-Wave Ordering in an IrTe 2 Nanoflake.

The interplay among collective electronic states like superconductivity (SC) and charge density wave (CDW) is of significance in transition metal dichalcogenides. To date, a consensus on the relationship between SC and CDW has not been established in IrTe 2 . Here we use the Au-assisted exfoliation method to cleave IrTe 2 down to 10 nm. A striking feature is the concurrence of phase separation in a single piece of nanoflake, i.e., the superconducting ( P 3̅ m 1) and CDW ( P 3̅) phases. In the former area, the dimensional fluctuations suppress the CDW ordering and induce SC at 3.5 K. The CDW area at the phase boundary shows enhanced T CDW at 605 K ( T CDW = 280 K in the bulk phase), which is accompanied by a unique wrinkle. Detailed analyses suggest that the strain-induced bond breaking of Te-Te dimers favors the CDW. Our works provide compelling evidence of competition between SC and CDW in IrTe 2 .