Study on the pressure-induced superconducting phases of antimony

ORAL

Abstract

Pressure-induced superconductivity in antimony was investigated electrically using a diamond anvil cell up to 61 GPa. A semimetal to metal transition was observed in the pressure range of 22 to 28 GPa at room temperature, which coincides with the transition from an incommensurate tetragonal host-guest structure to a body-centered cubic (bcc) structure. The high pressure metal phase was found to be superconducting and the transition temperature (Tc) was non-monotonous with regard to the applied pressure while in the bcc structure. The empirical rule, lighter elements having higher Tcs in a homologous series in non-transition elements in the periodic table, was found not to hold for bcc Sb when compared with Bi. A controlled pressure quench of the superconducting phase in the incommensurate composite phases at temperatures up to 77 K was also performed and the zero resistance was retained in the quenched phase with the midpoint of the superconducting transition above 3.4 K and a transition width of 0.2 K.

*The work performed at Houston is supported by USAFOSR Grant FA9550-15-1-0236, TLL Temple Foundation, JJ&R Moores Endowment, and State of Texas through TCSUH.

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Presenters

  • Zheng Wu

    • Texas Center for Superconductivity and Department of Physics, University of Houston

Authors

  • Zheng Wu

    • Texas Center for Superconductivity and Department of Physics, University of Houston

  • Liangzi Deng

    • Texas Center for Superconductivity, Univ of Houston
    • Texas Center for Superconductivity and Department of Physics, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
    • Texas Center for Superconductivity, University of Houston
    • Texas Center for Superconductivity and Department of Physics, University of Houston
    • Texas Center for Superconductivity, University of Houston, Texas, 77204, USA
    • Texas Center for Superconductivity and Physics Department at the Univ of Houston

  • Melissa Gooch

    • Texas Center for Superconductivity, Univ of Houston
    • Texas Center for Superconductivity and Department of Physics, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
    • Texas Center for Superconductivity, University of Houston
    • Texas Center for Superconductivity and Department of Physics, University of Houston
    • Texas Center for Superconductivity, University of Houston, Texas

  • Shuyuan Huyan

    • Texas Center for Superconductivity and Department of Physics, University of Houston
    • Texas Center for Superconductivity, University of Houston

  • Paul C. W. Chu

    • Texas Center for Superconductivity, Univ of Houston
    • Texas Center for Superconductivity and Department of Physics, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
    • Texas Center for Superconductivity, University of Houston
    • Texas Center for Superconductivity and Department of Physics, University of Houston
    • Texas Center for Superconductivity and Physics Department at the Univ of Houston