Pressure induced superconductivity in the antiferromagnetic Dirac material BaMnBi₂

Area of Science:

• Condensed Matter Physics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Dirac materials, including graphene and topological insulators, represent a novel class of matter.
• Superconductivity in these systems can be unconventional and may involve exotic phenomena like Majorana fermions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate pressure-induced superconductivity in the antiferromagnetic Dirac material BaMnBi₂.
• To explore the potential of BaMnBi₂ as a platform for studying superconductivity mechanisms in Dirac fermion systems.

Main Methods:

• Experimental observation of superconductivity under applied pressure.
• Measurement of critical temperature (Tc) and upper critical field (μ₀Hc2).
• Resistivity measurements at various temperatures and magnetic fields.

Main Results:

• Observed pressure-induced superconductivity in BaMnBi₂ with a Tc of ~4 K at 2.6 GPa.
• Determined a high upper critical field (μ₀Hc2(0) ~ 7 Tesla), ruling out Bi impurity superconductivity.
• Resistivity behavior suggests superconductivity emerges in the same phase as Dirac fermions without a structural transition.

Conclusions:

• BaMnBi₂ exhibits pressure-induced superconductivity, likely linked to its Dirac fermion properties.
• The material offers a new avenue for research into unconventional superconductivity mechanisms.
• Further studies on BaMnBi₂ could elucidate the interplay between Dirac fermions and superconductivity.