Superconductivity in Ti₄O₇ and γ-Ti₃O₅ films

Titanium dioxide is one of the most popular compounds among simple oxides. Except for the fully oxidized titanate, titanium oxides have partially filled d states and their exotic properties have captured attention. Here, we report on the discovery of superconductivity in Ti₄O₇ and γ-Ti₃O₅ in a thin film form. The epitaxial Ti₄O₇ and γ-Ti₃O₅ thin films were grown using pulsed-laser deposition on (LaAlO₃)_0.3-(SrAl_0.5Ta_0.5O₃)_0.7 and α-Al₂O₃ substrates, respectively. The highest superconducting transition temperatures are 3.0 K and 7.1 K for Ti₄O₇ and γ-Ti₃O₅, respectively. The mechanism behind the superconductivity is discussed on the basis of electrical measurements and previous theoretical predictions. We conclude that the superconductivity arises from unstabilized bipolaronic insulating states with the assistance of oxygen non-stoichiometry and epitaxial stabilization.