Pressure-Induced Superconductivity in the Thermoelectric Semiconductor Mg₃Sb₂

The intrinsic electronic structures of narrow bandgap thermoelectric (TE) materials serve as a platform for the investigation of coupling effects of quasi-particles under high pressure, enabling the exploration of emerging electronic and phonon transport, superconductivity, and topological transitions. Here, we report the discovery of pressure-induced superconductivity in the TE semiconductor Mg₃Sb₂. Upon increased pressure, metallization occurs at ∼8.7 GPa, followed by a superconducting transition concomitant with a carrier-type crossover from p- to n-type. This phenomenon arises from a pressure-induced structural phase transition from the semiconducting P3̅m1 to the metallic C2/m-I phase. The superconducting critical temperature (T_c) exhibits a dome-shaped pressure dependence, peaking at 3.3 K at 12.6 GPa. Combined theoretical calculations, high-pressure Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements reveal an additional structural transition above ∼20 GPa, yielding a distinct C2/m-II phase. Our findings establish the high-pressure phase diagram of Mg₃Sb₂, elucidate its pressure-dependent electronic properties, and provide valuable insights for future investigations of TE materials under high pressure.