Abstract
The distribution of valence electrons in metals usually follows the
symmetry of the underlying ionic lattice. Modulations of this distribution
often occur when those electrons are not stable with respect to a
new electronic order, such as spin or charge density waves. Electron
density waves have been observed in many families of superconductors1,
2, 3, and are often considered to be essential for superconductivity
to exist4. Recent measurements5, 6, 7, 8, 9 seem to show that the
properties of the iron pnictides10, 11 are in good agreement with
band structure calculations that do not include additional ordering,
implying no relation between density waves and superconductivity
in these materials12, 13, 14, 15. Here we report that the electronic
structure of Ba1-xKxFe2As2 is in sharp disagreement with those band
structure calculations12, 13, 14, 15, and instead reveals a reconstruction
characterized by a (, ) wavevector. This electronic order coexists
with superconductivity and persists up to room temperature (300 K).
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