Title: TaRh₂B₂ and NbRh₂B₂: Superconductors with a chiral noncentrosymmetric crystal structure

Abstract

It is a fundamental truth in solid compounds that the physical properties follow the symmetry of the crystal structure. Nowhere is the effect of symmetry more pronounced than in the electronic and magnetic properties of materials-even the projection of the bulk crystal symmetry onto different crystal faces is known to have a substantial impact on the surface electronic states. The effect of bulk crystal symmetry on the properties of superconductors is widely appreciated, although its study presents substantial challenges. The effect of a lack of a center of symmetry in a crystal structure, for example, has long been understood to necessitate that the wave function of the collective electron state that gives rise to superconductivity has to be more complex than usual. However, few nonhypothetical materials, if any, have actually been proven to display exotic superconducting properties as a result. We introduce two new superconductors that in addition to having noncentrosymmetric crystal structures also have chiral crystal structures. Because the wave function of electrons in solids is particularly sensitive to the host material's symmetry, crystal structure chirality is expected to have a substantial effect on their superconducting wave functions. Our two experimentally obtained chiral noncentrosymmetric superconducting materials have transition temperaturesmore » to superconductivity that are easily experimentally accessible, and our basic property characterization suggests that their superconducting properties may be unusual. We propose that their study may allow for a more in-depth understanding of how chirality influences the properties of superconductors and devices that incorporate them.« less

Authors:

Carnicom, Elizabeth M. ^[1]; Xie, Weiwei ^[2]; Klimczuk, Tomasz ^[3]; Lin, Jingjing  ^[1];

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Lin, Jingjing"
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0001-5156-2693"

Górnicka, Karolina ^[3]; Sobczak, Zuzanna  ^[3];

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Sobczak, Zuzanna"
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0002-6851-8637"

Ong, Nai Phuan  ^[1];

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Ong, Nai Phuan"
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0001-7166-1058"

Cava, Robert J. ^[1]

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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)
2. Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge, LA (United States)
3. Gdansk University of Technology (Poland)

Publication Date:

Fri May 04 00:00:00 EDT 2018

Research Org.:

Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); National Science Centre (NCN), Krakow (Poland); National Science Foundation (NSF)

OSTI Identifier:

1499941

Alternate Identifier(s):

OSTI ID: 1595082

Grant/Contract Number:  

FG02-98ER45706

Resource Type:

Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:

Science Advances

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Volume: 4; Journal Issue: 5; Journal ID: ISSN 2375-2548

Publisher:

AAAS

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE