Search for New Superconductors in RE-Si and Al-B Systems: a High Pressure High Temperature Approach

ORAL

Abstract

We have searched for the presence of superconductivity in the RE-Si and Al-B systems using HP-HT synthesis. The RE-Si system has some of the common features that are present in high TC superconducting materials. We have synthesized Ce, Pr, Nd and Gd silicides undoped and doped with C and B. On the other hand, AlB$_{2}$ has some similarities with the superconducting MgB$_{2}$. We have tried to synthesize AlB$_{2}$ way off stoichiometry using HP-HT and thin films Phase Spread Alloy. The Al$_{0.67}$ B$_{2}$ would be the MgB$_{2}$ equivalent and good reason to expect superconductivity. We discuss the results for both systems after a careful analysis of several physical properties (SQUID, Modulated Microwave Absorption) and x-ray powder diffraction.

*This study was supported by an AFOSR MURI ``Search For New Superconductors For Energy And Power Applications.''

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Authors

  • Miguel Angel Alario-Franco

    • Universidad Complutense de Madrid

  • Jose de la Venta

    • Univ of California - San Diego
    • University of California, San Diego
    • University of California - San Diego

  • Ali Basaran

    • University of California, San Diego
    • University of California - San Diego

  • Ivan Schuller

    • Center for Advanced Nanoscience, University of California San Diego
    • Univ of California - San Diego
    • Department of Physics and Materials Science and Engineering and Center for Advanced Nanoscience, UCSD, La Jolla, CA, USA
    • University of California, San Diego
    • University of California - San Diego
    • Center for Advanced Nanoscience, UCSD

  • Ted Grant

    • University of California Irvine
    • Departments of Physics and Astronomy, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
    • University of California, Irvine
    • University of California - Irvine

  • Zachary Fisk

    • University of California - Irvine