In-Plane Differentiation and Out-of-Plane Coherence in Superconducting K$_{2-x}$Fe$_{4+y}$Se$_5$
The structural link between superconductivity and anomalous $d_2$ diffraction signatures in K$_{2-x}$Fe$_{4+y}$Se$_5$ remains unresolved. Their appearance is accompanied by pronounced host-lattice evolution rather than a static structural background. Using high-resolution synchrotron X-ray diffraction, we show that excess Fe alters the vacancy-ordered host lattice, with structural differences between superconducting and nonsuperconducting states emerging before the $d_2$ features appear. All observed $d_2$ reflections can be described using two characteristic in-plane spacings and a nearly common low-temperature $c$ parameter. Temperature-dependent measurements reveal that superconductivity is associated with persistent in-plane differentiation and enhanced Fe-layer coherence along the $c$ axis. These results establish host-lattice evolution as the common structural origin linking the $d_2$ family and superconductivity, and suggest that the host-lattice differentiation identified here represents a structural analogue of the symmetry redistribution in FeSe.