Analytical microscopy of iron-based superconducting materials

Abstract Inhomogeneity and phase separation in unconventional superconducting materials is a topic of increasing interest, as the competition between phases with different types of ordering is thought to play an important role in the emergence of the high temperature superconducting state. A wide range of experimental techniques are available for investigating the crystallography of these complex materials, however the majority are bulk probes. Here we briefly review some spatially resolved techniques that are being used to investigate phase separation in ironbased superconductors, with a focus on analytic Scanning Electron Microscopy techniques and synchrotron-based Photoelectron Microscopy.