High-pressure studies of superconductivity and crystal structure in Mo<sub>3</sub>Al<sub>2</sub>C

ORAL

Abstract

Mo₃Al₂C is a non-centrosymmetric superconductor with unique superconducting properties influenced by its lack of inversion symmetry. In this work, we explore the evolution of its superconducting state and crystal structure under pressures up to 23 GPa through electrical resistance measurements, synchrotron x-ray diffraction, and first-principles calculations. Our findings reveal a non-monotonic pressure dependence of the superconducting transition temperature (Tc), which initially increases before gradually decreases at higher pressures. Synchrotron XRD confirms the structural stability of the cubic phase across the examined pressure range. Theoretical calculations indicate that a vacancy-stabilized model is crucial for understanding these trends, as increased pressure weakens electron-phonon coupling, consistent with experimental results. These insights contribute to a deeper understanding of superconductivity in non-centrosymmetric materials and the broader effects of pressure on superconducting states.

*This work is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER award DMR-2045760. The Quantum Design Physical Properties Measurement System (PPMS) employed in this study was acquired under NSF MRI Grant DMR-2215143. Beamline 12.2.2 at the Advanced Light Source is a DOE Office of Science User Facility under contract no. DE-AC02-05CH11231.

Publication: High-pressure studies of superconductivity and crystal structure in Mo3Al2C (planned paper)

Presenters

  • Greeshma C Jose

    • University of Alabama at Birmingham

Authors

  • Greeshma C Jose

    • University of Alabama at Birmingham
  • James L Petri

    • University of Alabama at Birmingham
  • Shuo Tao

    • Rutgers University - Newark
  • Li Zhu

    • Rutgers University - Newark
  • Weiwei Xie

    • Michigan State University
  • Sang-Wook Cheong

    • Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway
  • Wenli Bi

    • University of Alabama at Birmingham