SrMnBi$_2$, a new transition metal compound with metallic spacer layer

To explore the correlation between superconductivity and crystal structure in transition metal-pnictides systems, we investigate the band structure and physical properties of SrMnBi$_2$ single crystals. This compound is isostructural with the superconducting Fe-pnictides. In this talk, magnetization, resistivity and specific heat data will be compared with band structure calculations. Both the experimental results and the density functional theory (DFT) calculation are consistent with this material being a bad metal with large residual resistivity, similar to the well-studied Fe-pnictides. The key difference is that the Sr-Bi blocking layer in SrMnBi$_2$ is metallic, which may be more favorable to the occurrence of superconductivity upon doping, likely with a higher transition temperature, commensurate with the high T$_N$ $\approx$ 280 K.