Investigation of ''conventional'' superconductivity in ternary cerium compounds through high pressure studies

Technical Report · Fri Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986

OSTI ID:5336553

Athreya, K S

The present investigation focuses on the nature and mechanism of superconductivity in the cerium-containing ternary borides and silicides: CeRu/sub 3/B/sub 2/, CeOs/sub 3/B/sub 2/, and CeRu/sub 3/Si/sub 2/. These are the only ternary cerium compounds where ''conventional'' (as opposed to heavy fermion) superconductivity has been observed to date. The closely related crystal structures (all related to the CeCo/sub 3/B/sub 2/-type, P6/mmm) enabled the study of the effect on superconductivity of transforming continuously from one system to the other by going across the pseudoternary series Ce(Ru/sub 1-x/Os/sub x/)/sub 3/B/sub 2/ and CeRu/sub 3/(B/sub x/Si/sub 1-x/)/sub 2/. These pseudoternary systems were subjected to high external pressures using a standard hydrostatic pressure clamp for lower pressures (up to 20 kbar) and a specially designed diamond anvil cell for higher pressures (up to 66 k bar). Trends are presented for the variation of the superconducting transition temperatues with changes in external pressure. Results are also included from measurements of static magnetic susceptibility and electrical resistivity of all the materials in the series Ce(Ru/sub 1-x/Os/sub x/)/sub 3/B/sub 2/ and CeRu/sub 3/(B/sub x/Si/sub 1-x/)/sub 2/. These provide some insight into the nature of the cerium valence in these compounds.

• Research Organization: Ames Lab., IA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-82
• OSTI ID: 5336553
• Report Number(s): IS-T-1216; ON: DE86015765
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360603* -- Materials-- Properties
656102 -- Solid State Physics-- Superconductivity-- Acoustic
Electronic
Magnetic
Optical
& Thermal Phenomena-- (-1987)
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
BORIDES
BORON COMPOUNDS
CERIUM BORIDES
CERIUM COMPOUNDS
CERIUM SILICIDES
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
MAGNETIC SUSCEPTIBILITY
OSMIUM BORIDES
OSMIUM COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PRESSURE EFFECTS
RARE EARTH COMPOUNDS
REFRACTORY METAL COMPOUNDS
RUTHENIUM BORIDES
RUTHENIUM COMPOUNDS
RUTHENIUM SILICIDES
SILICIDES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
VALENCE
VERY HIGH PRESSURE