Superconductivity in a Misfit Phase That Combines the Topological Crystalline Insulator Pb 1-xSn xSe with the CDW-Bearing Transition Metal Dichalcogenide TiSe 2
We report the characterization of the misfit compound (Pb 1-xSn xSe 2)1.16(TiSe 2) 2 for 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.6, in which a [100] rocksalt-structure bilayer of Pb1-xSnxSe, which is a topological crystalline insulator in bulk form, alternates with a double layer of the normally nonsuperconducting transition metal dichalcogenide TiSe 2. The x dependence of Tc displays a weak dome-like shape with a maximum Tc of 4.5 K at x = 0.2; there is only a subtle change in Tc at the composition where the trivial to topological transition occurs in bulk Pb1-xSnxSe. We present the characterization of the superconductor at x = 0.4, for which the bulk Pb1-xSnxSe phase is in the topological crystalline insulator regime. For this material, the Sommerfeld parameter γ = 11.06 mJ mol -1 K -2, the Debye temperature Θ D = 161 K, the normalized specific heat jump value ΔC/γT c = 1.38 and the electron-phonon constant value γ ep = 0.72, suggesting that (Pb 0.6Sn 0.4Se) 1.16(TiSe 2) 2 is a BCS-type weak coupling superconductor. This material may be of interest for probing the interaction of superconductivity with the surface states of a topological crystalline insulator.
- Authors:
-
[1];
[2];
[3];
[1];
[1];
[4];
[1]
- Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)
- Brown Univ., Providence, RI (United States)
- Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)
- Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Report Number(s):
- BNL-112487-2016-JA
Journal ID: ISSN 0031-9015; R&D Project: PO016; KC0202020
- Grant/Contract Number:
- SC00112704
- Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Journal of the Physical Society of Japan
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 85; Journal Issue: 6; Journal ID: ISSN 0031-9015
- Publisher:
- Physical Society of Japan
- Research Org:
- Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
- Sponsoring Org:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY; Topological insulator; Transition Metal Dichalcogenide; Superconductivity; Misfit phase
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1303012