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Title: Superconductivity in SrB 3 C 3 clathrate

Abstract

We predict superconductivity for the carbon–boron clathrate SrB3C3 with Tc = 27–43 K for Coulomb pseudopotential (μ*) values between 0.17 and 0.10 using first-principles calculations with conventional electron–phonon coupling. Electrical transport measurements, facilitated by an in situ experimental design compatible with extreme synthesis conditions (> 3000 K at 50 GPa), show nonhysteretic resistivity drops that track the calculated magnitude and pressure dependence of superconductivity for μ* ≈ 0.15, and transport measurements collected under applied magnetic fields indicate superconductivity with an onset Tc of approximately 20 K at 40 GPa. Carbon-based clathrates thus represent a class of superconductors similar to other covalent metals like MgB2 and doped fullerenes. Carbon clathrates share structures similar to superconducting superhydrides with wide potential for tunable properties, and covalent C–B bonds allow metastable persistence at ambient conditions.

Authors:
; ; ; ; ORCiD logo; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ORCiD logo; ORCiD logo
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation; National Science Foundation (NSF); Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange
OSTI Identifier:
1908848
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1923900
Grant/Contract Number:  
SC0020683; FG02-94ER14466; AC02-06CH11357; GBMF9071; EAR-1634415; PPN/BEK/2018/1/00035
Resource Type:
Published Article
Journal Name:
Physical Review Research
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Name: Physical Review Research Journal Volume: 5 Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 2643-1564
Publisher:
American Physical Society
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY; pressure effects; superconducting phase transition; high-temperature superconductors; Density Functional calculations; methods in superconductivity; pressure techniques; resistivity measurements

Citation Formats

Zhu, Li, Liu, Hanyu, Somayazulu, Maddury, Meng, Yue, Guńka, Piotr A., Shiell, Thomas B., Kenney-Benson, Curtis, Chariton, Stella, Prakapenka, Vitali B., Yoon, Hyeok, Horn, Jarryd A., Paglione, Johnpierre, Hoffmann, Roald, Cohen, R. E., and Strobel, Timothy A. Superconductivity in SrB 3 C 3 clathrate. United States: N. p., 2023. Web. doi:10.1103/PhysRevResearch.5.013012.
Zhu, Li, Liu, Hanyu, Somayazulu, Maddury, Meng, Yue, Guńka, Piotr A., Shiell, Thomas B., Kenney-Benson, Curtis, Chariton, Stella, Prakapenka, Vitali B., Yoon, Hyeok, Horn, Jarryd A., Paglione, Johnpierre, Hoffmann, Roald, Cohen, R. E., & Strobel, Timothy A. Superconductivity in SrB 3 C 3 clathrate. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.5.013012
Zhu, Li, Liu, Hanyu, Somayazulu, Maddury, Meng, Yue, Guńka, Piotr A., Shiell, Thomas B., Kenney-Benson, Curtis, Chariton, Stella, Prakapenka, Vitali B., Yoon, Hyeok, Horn, Jarryd A., Paglione, Johnpierre, Hoffmann, Roald, Cohen, R. E., and Strobel, Timothy A. Thu . "Superconductivity in SrB 3 C 3 clathrate". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.5.013012.
@article{osti_1908848,
title = {Superconductivity in SrB 3 C 3 clathrate},
author = {Zhu, Li and Liu, Hanyu and Somayazulu, Maddury and Meng, Yue and Guńka, Piotr A. and Shiell, Thomas B. and Kenney-Benson, Curtis and Chariton, Stella and Prakapenka, Vitali B. and Yoon, Hyeok and Horn, Jarryd A. and Paglione, Johnpierre and Hoffmann, Roald and Cohen, R. E. and Strobel, Timothy A.},
abstractNote = {We predict superconductivity for the carbon–boron clathrate SrB3C3 with Tc = 27–43 K for Coulomb pseudopotential (μ*) values between 0.17 and 0.10 using first-principles calculations with conventional electron–phonon coupling. Electrical transport measurements, facilitated by an in situ experimental design compatible with extreme synthesis conditions (> 3000 K at 50 GPa), show nonhysteretic resistivity drops that track the calculated magnitude and pressure dependence of superconductivity for μ* ≈ 0.15, and transport measurements collected under applied magnetic fields indicate superconductivity with an onset Tc of approximately 20 K at 40 GPa. Carbon-based clathrates thus represent a class of superconductors similar to other covalent metals like MgB2 and doped fullerenes. Carbon clathrates share structures similar to superconducting superhydrides with wide potential for tunable properties, and covalent C–B bonds allow metastable persistence at ambient conditions.},
doi = {10.1103/PhysRevResearch.5.013012},
journal = {Physical Review Research},
number = 1,
volume = 5,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jan 12 00:00:00 EST 2023},
month = {Thu Jan 12 00:00:00 EST 2023}
}

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