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Superconductivity in LiGa2Ir Heusler type compound with VEC = 16
Karolina Górnicka1,2, Gabriel Kuderowicz3, Michał J Winiarski4,5
1Faculty of Applied Physics and Mathematics, Gdansk University of Technology, ul. Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233, Gdańsk, Poland. karolina.gornicka@pg.edu.pl.
Scientific Reports
|August 14, 2021
Summary
Polycrystalline LiGa2Ir exhibits bulk superconductivity at 2.94 K, confirmed as a weak-coupling type-II superconductor. First-principles calculations validate the electron-phonon mechanism driving this superconductivity in Heusler compounds.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science
- Solid State Chemistry
Background:
- Heusler compounds represent a class of intermetallic materials with diverse physical properties.
- Superconductivity in Heusler materials is an active area of research, with potential for technological applications.
- Understanding the fundamental mechanisms governing superconductivity is crucial for discovering new superconducting materials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize polycrystalline LiGa2Ir.
- To investigate the superconducting properties of LiGa2Ir.
- To elucidate the underlying mechanism of superconductivity through theoretical calculations.
Main Methods:
- Solid-state reaction for material synthesis.
- Powder X-ray diffraction with Rietveld refinement for structural analysis.
- Magnetic susceptibility, heat capacity, and electrical resistivity measurements for property characterization.
- First-principles calculations for electronic structure, lattice dynamics, and electron-phonon coupling.
Main Results:
- LiGa2Ir was successfully synthesized and confirmed to possess a Heusler-type crystal structure (Fm-3m).
- Bulk superconductivity was observed with a critical temperature (Tc) of 2.94 K.
- Experimental and theoretical results indicate LiGa2Ir is a weak-coupling, type-II superconductor, with superconductivity driven by the electron-phonon interaction.
- First-principles calculations revealed significant contributions from Ir and Ga to the Fermi surface and confirmed the electron-phonon coupling constant (λe-p = 0.68).
Conclusions:
- LiGa2Ir is a novel Heusler superconductor with a valence electron count (VEC) of 16.
- The superconductivity in LiGa2Ir is attributed to the electron-phonon interaction mechanism.
- LiGa2Ir, along with LiGa2Rh, represents the only known Heusler superconductors with a VEC of 16, highlighting a specific electronic configuration conducive to superconductivity in this class of materials.
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