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We report a comprehensive study of electronic band structure for single-layer (SL) and bilayer (BL) RP-nickelates probed by in-situ HP X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES). At ambient pressure (AP), the energy splitting delta_E of d_3z^2-r^2 and d_x^2-y^2 bands are directly observed in La3Ni2O7 (BL-La327) but not in La2NiO4 (SL-La214) above E_F, underlining the critical role of inner apical O atoms. A combination of DFT-based electronic band structure and projected density of states (PDOS) calculations with simulated XANES enables us to explain the observed main XANES features labelled by a, A, B', B and C when considering the orbital hybridizations, crystal field splitting (CFS) and core-hole screening of different 3d configurations for SL-La214 and BL-La327 nickelates. At high pressure (HP), the delta_E values of pre-edge peak form a dome-like evolution above 7.7 GPa with the maximum locating at around 20 GPa for metallic BL-La327. Analysis of its integrated area and FWHM provides strong evidence that the bonding d_3z^2-r^2 band crosses E_F above about 7.7 GPa for the metallic BL-La327. Growth of integrated area of pre-edge peak and C peak further evidences pressure-induced hole doping effect. Meanwhile, the pressure dependent FWHM of pre-edge peak implies a nonmonotonic evolution of orbital-selective electronic correlation above 7.7 GPa with extrema emerging at about 20 GPa. Moreover, we estimate the relative hole doping level using the energy shift of pre-edge peak, yielding 0.074 hole per Ni site or equivalently 1.1*10^21 cm^-3 at 20 GPa for the metallic BL-La327, which is comparable to cuprates. Our results have timely examined the electronic band structures as obtained from theoretical calculations, emphasizing the essential role of both d_3z^2-r^2 and d_x^2-y^2 bands as well as the electronic correlation in superconducting pairing for pressurized La3Ni2O7.

High-temperature superconductivity (HTSC) remains one of the most challenging and fascinating mysteries in condensed matter physics. Recently, superconductivity with transition temperature exceeding liquid-nitrogen temperature is discovered in La3Ni2O7 at high pressure, which provides a new platform to explore the unconventional HTSC. In this work, using high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and ab-initio calculation, we systematically investigate the electronic structures of La3Ni2O7 at ambient pressure. Our experiments are in nice agreement with ab-initio calculations after considering an orbital-dependent band renormalization effect. The strong electron correlation effect pushes a flat band of d_(z^2 ) orbital component below the Fermi level (EF), which is predicted to locate right at EF under high pressure. Moreover, the d_(x^2-y^2 ) band shows a pseudogap-like behavior with suppressed spectral weight and diminished quasiparticle peak near EF. Our findings provide important insights into the electronic structure of La3Ni2O7, which will shed light on the understanding of the unconventional superconductivity in nickelates.

Strategies to achieve higher upper-critical-field superconductors ({\mu}0Hc2(0)) are of great interest for both fundamental science and practical applications. While reducing the thickness of two-dimensional (2D) materials to a few layers significantly enhances {\mu}0Hc2(0) with accompanied potential unconventional pairing mechanisms, further dimensional reduction to 1D compounds rarely exceeds the expected Pauli limit. Here, we report the discovery of a 1D granular Ta-Te nanowire that becomes superconducting under high pressure, with a maximum critical temperature (Tc) of 5.1 K. Remarkably, the {\mu}0Hc2(0) reaches 16 T, which is twice the Pauli limit, setting a record of {\mu}0Hc2 (0) in all the reported 1D superconductors. Our work demonstrates that the Ta-Te nanowire not only is a potential candidate for applications in high magnetic fields, but also provides an ideal platform for further investigations of the mechanisms between nanowires and large {\mu}0Hc2(0)., Comment: 12 pages,4 figures

As an empirical tool in materials science and engineering, the iconic phase diagram owes its robustness and practicality to the topological characteristics rooted in the celebrated Gibbs phase law (F = C - P + 2). When crossing the phase diagram boundary, the structure transition occurs abruptly, bringing about an instantaneous change in physical properties and limited controllability on the boundaries (F = 1). Here, we expand the sharp phase boundary to an amorphous transition region (F = 2) by partially disrupting the long-range translational symmetry, leading to a sequential crystalline-amorphous-crystalline (CAC) transition in a pressurized In2Te5 single crystal. Through detailed in-situ synchrotron diffraction, we elucidate that the phase transition stems from the rotation of immobile blocks [In2Te2]2+, linked by hinge-like [Te3]2- trimers. Remarkably, within the amorphous region, the amorphous phase demonstrates a notable 25 % increase of the superconducting transition temperature (Tc), while the carrier concentration remains relatively constant. Furthermore, we propose a theoretical framework revealing that the unconventional boost in amorphous superconductivity might be attributed to an intensified electron correlation, triggered by a disorder-augmented multifractal behavior. These findings underscore the potential of disorder and prompt further exploration of unforeseen phenomena on the phase boundaries., Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures, Accepted for publication in Advanced Materials

Layered materials with kagome lattice have attracted a lot of attention due to the presence of nontrivial topological bands and correlated electronic states with tunability. In this work, we investigate a unique van der Waals (vdW) material system, $A_{2}M_{3}X_{4}$ ($A$ = K, Rb, Cs; $M$ = Ni, Pd; $X$ = S, Se), where transition metal kagome lattices, chalcogen honeycomb lattices and alkali metal triangular lattices coexist simultaneously. A notable feature of this material is that each Ni/Pd atom is positioned in the center of four chalcogen atoms, forming a local square-planar environment. This crystal field environment results in a low spin state $S$ = 0 of Ni$^{2+}$/Pd$^{2+}$. A systematic study of the crystal growth, crystal structure, magnetic and transport properties of two representative compounds, Rb$_{2}$Ni$_{3}$S$_{4}$ and Cs$_{2}$Ni$_{3}$Se$_{4}$, has been carried out on powder and single crystal samples. Both compounds exhibit nonmagnetic $p$-type semiconducting behavior, closely related to the particular chemical environment of Ni$^{2+}$ ions and the alkali metal intercalated vdW structure. Additionally, Cs$_{2}$Ni$_{3}$Se$_{4}$ undergoes an insulator-metal transition (IMT) in transport measurements under pressure up to 87.10 GPa without any structural phase transition, while Rb$_{2}$Ni$_{3}$S$_{4}$ persists in its semiconducting behavior., Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures

The (Bi2)m(Bi2Te3)n homologous series possess natural multilayer heterostructure with intriguing physical properties at ambient pressure. Herein, we report the pressure-dependent evolution of the structure and electrical transport of the dual topological insulator BiTe, a member of the (Bi2)m(Bi2Te3)n series. With applied pressure, BiTe exhibits several different crystal structures and distinct superconducting states, which is remarkably similar to other members of the (Bi2)m(Bi2Te3)n series. Our results provide a systematic phase diagram for the pressure-induced superconductivity in BiTe, contributing to the highly interesting physics in this (Bi2)m(Bi2Te3)n series., Comment: 17 pages, 5 figures

Binary metal sulfides are potential material family for exploring high Tc superconductors under high pressure. In this work, we study the crystal structures, electronic structures and superconducting properties of the Lu-S system in the pressure range from 0 GPa to 200 GPa, combining crystal structure predictions with ab-initio calculations. We predict 14 new structures, encompassing 7 unidentified stoichiometries. Within the S-rich structures, the formation of S atom cages is beneficial for superconductivity, with the superconducting transition temperature 25.86 K and 25.30 K for LuS6-C2/m at 70 GPa and LuS6-R-3m at 90 GPa, respectively. With the Lu/(Lu+S) ratio increases, the Lu-d electrons participate more in the electronic properties at the Fermi energy, resulting in the coexistence of superconductivity and topological non-triviality of LuS2-Cmca, as well as the superconductivity of predicted Lu-rich compounds. Our calculation is helpful for understanding the exotic properties in transition metal sulfides system under high pressure, providing possibility in designing novel superconductors for future experimental and theoretical works., Comment: 17 pages,8 figures

Tellurium (Te) is one of the p-orbital chalcogens, which shows attractive physical properties at ambient pressure. Here, we systematically investigate both structural and electronic evolution of Te single crystal under high pressure up to 40 GPa. The pressure dependence of the experimental Raman spectrum reveals the occurrence of multiple phase transitions, which is consistent with highpressure synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. The appearance of superconductivity in high-pressure phase of Te is accompanied by structural phase transitions. The high-pressure phases of Te reveal a nonmonotonic evolution of superconducting temperature Tc with notably different upper critical fields. The theoretical calculations demonstrate that the pressure dependence of the density of states(DOS) agrees well with the variation of Tc. Our results provide a systematic phase diagram for the pressure-induced superconductivity of Te., Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures

The research on hydrogen-rich ternary compounds attract tremendous attention for it paves new route to room-temperature superconductivity at lower pressures. Here, we study the crystal structures, electronic structures, and superconducting properties of the ternary Ca-U-H system, combining crystal structure predictions with ab-initio calculations under high pressure. We found four dynamically stable structures with hydrogen clathrate cages: CaUH12-Cmmm, CaUH12-Fd-3m, Ca2UH18-P-3m1, and CaU3H32-Pm-3m. Among them, the Ca2UH18-P-3m1 and CaU3H32-Pm-3m are likely to be synthesized below 1 megabar. The f electrons in U atoms make dominant contribution to the electronic density of states around the Fermi energy. The electron-phonon interaction calculations reveal that phonon softening in the mid-frequency region can enhance the electron-phonon coupling significantly. The Tc value of Ca2UH18-P-3m1 is estimated to be 57.5-65.8 K at 100 GPa. Our studies demonstrate that introducing actinides into alkaline-earth metal hydrides provides possibility in designing novel superconducting ternary hydrides., Comment: 13 pages,4 figures

Nickelate superconductors have attracted a great deal of attention over the past few decades due to their similar crystal and electronic structures with high-temperature cuprate superconductors. Here, we report the superconductivity in a pressurized Ruddlesden-Popper phase single crystal, La4Ni3O10 (n = 3), and its interplay with the density wave order in the phase diagram. With increasing pressure, the density wave order as indicated by the anomaly in the resistivity is progressively suppressed, followed by the emergence of the superconductivity around 25 K. Our angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements reveal that the electronic structure of La4Ni3O10 is very similar to that of La3Ni2O7, suggesting unified electronic properties of nickelates in Ruddlesden-Popper phases. Moreover, theoretical analysis unveils that antiferromagnetic (AFM) super-exchange interactions can serve as the effective pairing interaction for the emergence of superconductivity (SC) in pressurized La4Ni3O10. Our research provides a new platform for the investigation of the unconventional superconductivity mechanism in Ruddlesden-Popper trilayer perovskite nickelates., Comment: 21 pages, 4 figures

Lu5Rh6Sn18 is one of the caged-type quasiskutterudite superconductors with superconducting transition temperature Tc = 4.12 K. Here, we investigate the effect of pressure on the superconductivity in Lu5Rh6Sn18 by combining high pressure electrical transport, synchrotron x-ray diffraction (XRD) and chemical doping. Application of high pressure can enhance both the metallicity and the superconducting transition temperature in Lu5Rh6Sn18. Tc is found to show a continuous increase reaching up to 5.50 K at 11.4 GPa. Our high pressure synchrotron XRD measurements demonstrate the stability of the pristine crystal structure up to 12.0 GPa. In contrast, Tc is suppressed after the substitution of La ions in Lu sites, inducing negative chemical pressure. Our study provides valuable insights into the improvement of superconductivity in caged compounds., Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures

Topological transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have attracted much attention due to its potential applications in spintronics and quantum computations. In this work, we systematically investigate the structural and electronic properties of topological TMDCs candidate ZrTe2 under high pressure. A pressure-induced Lifshitz transition is evidenced by the change of charge carrier type as well as the Fermi surface. Superconductivity was observed at around 8.3 GPa without structural phase transition. A typical dome-shape phase diagram is obtained with the maximum Tc of 5.6 K for ZrTe2. Furthermore, our theoretical calculations suggest the presence of multiple pressure-induced topological quantum phase transitions, which coexists with emergence of superconductivity. The results demonstrate that ZrTe2 with nontrivial topology of electronic states display new ground states upon compression., Comment: Accepted for publication in Advanced Science 2023

Layered SnAs-based Zintl compounds exhibit a distinctive electronic structure, igniting extensive research efforts in areas of superconductivity, topological insulators and quantum magnetism. In this paper, we systematically investigate the crystal structures and electronic properties of the Zintl compound SrSn2As2 under high-pressure. At approximately 20.8 GPa, pressure-induced superconductivity is observed in SrSn2As2 with a characteristic dome-like evolution of Tc. Theoretical calculations together with high pressure synchrotron X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy have identified that SrSn2As2 undergoes a structural transformation from a trigonal to a monoclinic structure. Beyond 28.3 GPa, the superconducting transition temperature is suppressed due to a reduction of the density of state at the Fermi level. The discovery of pressure-induced superconductivity, accompanied by structural transitions in SrSn2As2, greatly expands the physical properties of layered SnAs-based compounds and provides a new ground states upon compression., Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:2307.15629

Recently the discovery of superconductivity with a critical temperature Tc up to 80 K in Ruddlesden-Popper phases Lan+1NinO3n+1 (n = 2) under pressure has garnered considerable attention. Up to now, the superconductivity was only observed in La3Ni2O7 single crystal grown with the optical-image floating zone furnace under oxygen pressure. It remains to be understood the effect of chemical doping on superconducting La3Ni2O7 as well as other Ruddlesden-Popper phases. Here, we systematically investigate the effect of external pressure and chemical doping on polycrystalline Ruddlesden-Popper phases. Our results demonstrate the application of pressure and doping effectively tunes the transport properties of Ruddlesden-Popper phases. We find pressure-induced superconductivity up to 86 K in La3Ni2O7 polycrystalline sample, while no signatures of superconductivity are observed in La2NiO4 and La4Ni3O10 systems under high pressure up to 50 GPa. Our study sheds light on the exploration of high-Tc superconductivity in nickelates., Comment: 21 papes, 8 figures and 1 table

The Zintl compound AIn2X2 (A = Ca, Sr, and X = P, As), as a theoretically predicted new non-magnetic topological insulator, requires experiments to understand their electronic structure and topological characteristics. In this paper, we systematically investigate the crystal structures and electronic properties of the Zintl compound SrIn2As2 under both ambient and high-pressure conditions. Based on systematic angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) measurements, we observed the topological surface states on its (001) surface as predicted by calculations, indicating that SrIn2As2 is a strong topological insulator. Interestingly, application of pressure effectively tuned the crystal structure and electronic properties of SrIn2As2. Superconductivity is observed in SrIn2As2 for pressure where the temperature dependence of the resistivity changes from a semiconducting-like behavior to that of a metal. The observation of nontrivial topological states and pressure-induced superconductivity in SrIn2As2 provides crucial insights into the relationship between topology and superconductivity, as well as stimulates further studies of superconductivity in topological materials., Comment: 15 pages,5 figures

Recently, the giant intrinsic anomalous Hall effect (AHE) has been observed in the materials with kagome lattice. In this study, we systematically investigate the influence of high pressure on the AHE in the ferromagnet LiMn6Sn6 with clean Mn kagome lattice. Our in-situ high-pressure Raman spectroscopy indicates that the crystal structure of LiMn6Sn6 maintains a hexagonal phase under high pressures up to 8.51 GPa. The anomalous Hall conductivity (AHC) {\sigma}xyA remains around 150 {\Omega}-1 cm-1, dominated by the intrinsic mechanism. Combined with theoretical calculations, our results indicate that the stable AHE under pressure in LiMn6Sn6 originates from the robust electronic and magnetic structure., Comment: 11 pages 5 figures

Magnetic topological insulators, possessing both magnetic order and topological electronic structure, provides an excellent platform to research unusual physical properties. Here, we report a high-pressure study on the anomalous Hall effect of magnetic TI MnSb4Te7 through transports measurements combined with first-principle theoretical calculations. We discover that the ground state of MnSb4Te7 experiences a magnetic phase transition from the A-type antiferromagnetic state to ferromagnetic dominating state at 3.78 GPa, although its crystal sustains a rhombohedral phase under high pressures up to 8 GPa. The anomalous Hall conductance {\sigma}xyA keeps around 10 {\Omega}-1 cm-1, dominated by the intrinsic mechanism even after the magnetic phase transition. The results shed light on the intriguing magnetism in MnSb4Te7 and pave the way for further studies of the relationship between topology and magnetism in topological materials., Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures

Searching for functional square lattices in layered superconductor systems offers an explicit clue to modify the electron behavior and find exotic properties. The trigonal SnAs3 structural units in SnAs-based systems are relatively conformable to distortion, which provides the possibility to achieve structurally topological transformation and higher superconducting transition temperatures. In the present work, the functional As square lattice was realized and activated in Li0.6Sn2As2 and NaSnAs through a topotactic structural transformation of trigonal SnAs3 to square SnAs4 under pressure, resulting in a record-high Tc among all synthesized SnAs-based compounds. Meanwhile, the conductive channel transfers from the out-of-plane pz orbital to the in-plane px+py orbitals, facilitating electron hopping within the square 2D lattice and boosting the superconductivity. The reorientation of p-orbital following a directed local structure transformation provides an effective strategy to modify layered superconductors., Comment: 6 pages,4 figures, Accepted by Angew. Chem. Int. Ed

Recently, the natural heterostructure of (PbSe)5(Bi2Se3)6 has been theoretically predicted and experimentally confirmed as a topological insulator. In this work, we induce superconductivity in (PbSe)5(Bi2Se3)6 by implementing high pressure. As increasing pressure up to 10 GPa, superconductivity with Tc ~ 4.6 K suddenly appears, followed by an abrupt decrease. Remarkably, upon further compression above 30 GPa, a new superconducting state arises, where pressure raises the Tc to an unsaturated 6.0 K within the limit of our research. Combining XRD and Raman spectroscopies, we suggest that the emergence of two distinct superconducting states occurs concurrently with the pressure-induced structural transition in this topological heterostructure (PbSe)5(Bi2Se3)6., Comment: 16 pages,5 figures, 1 table

The coexistence of superconductivity and topology holds the potential to realize exotic quantum states of matter. Here we report that superconductivity induced by high pressure in three thallium-based materials, covering the phase transition from a normal insulator (TlBiS2) to a topological insulator (TlBiSe2) through a Dirac semimetal (TlBiSeS). By increasing the pressure up to 60 GPa, we observe superconductivity phase diagrams with maximal Tc values at 6.0-8.1 K. Our density-functional theory calculations reveal topological surface states in superconductivity phases for all three compounds. Our study paves the path to explore topological superconductivity and topological phase transitions., Comment: 39 pages, 5+22 figures

The quasi-one-dimensional material PdTeI exhibits unusual electronic transport properties at ambient pressure. Here, we systematically investigate both the structural and electronic responses of PdTeI to external pressure, through a combination of electrical transport, synchrotron x-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy measurements. The charge density wave (CDW) order in PdTeI is fragile and the transition temperature TCDW decreases rapidly with the application of external pressure. The resistivity hump is indiscernible when the pressure is increased to 1 GPa. Upon further compression, zero resistance is established above 20 GPa, suggesting the occurrence of superconductivity. Combined XRD and Raman data evidence that the emergence of superconductivity is accompanied by a pressure-induced amorphization of PdTeI., Comment: 18 pages, 6 figures

Recently, the hexagonal phase of ternary transition metal pnictides TT'X (T = Zr, Hf; T'= Ru; X = P, As), which are well-known noncentrosymmetric superconductors, were predicted to host nontrivial bulk topology. In this work, we systematically investigate the electronic responses of ZrRuAs to external pressure. At ambient pressure, ZrRuAs show superconductivity with Tc ~ 7.74 K, while a large upper critical field ~ 13.03 T is obtained for ZrRuAs, which is comparable to the weak-coupling Pauli limit. The resistivity of ZrRuAs exhibits a non-monotonic evolution with increasing pressure. The superconducting transition temperature Tc increases with applied pressure and reaches a maximum value of 7.93 K at 2.1 GPa, followed by a decrease. The nontrivial topology is robust and persists up to the high-pressure regime. Considering both robust superconductivity and intriguing topology in this material, our results could contribute to studies of the interplay between topological electronic states and superconductivity., Comment: 17 pages,6 figures, 1 table

Here, we have grown single crystals of LaTe2-xSbx (x=0 and 0.4) with continuously adjustable CDW. High-pressure x-ray diffraction show LaTe2 does not undergo phase transition and keep robust below 40 GPa. In-situ high-pressure electrical measurements show LaTe2-xSbx undergo semiconductor-metal-superconductivity transition at 4.6 and 2.5 GPa, respectively. With the doping of Sb, the highest Tc increases from 4.6 to 6.5 K. Theoretical calculations reveal that the CDW has been completely suppressed and the calculated Tc is about 2.97 K at 4.5 GPa, consistent with the measured value. Then, the pressure-induced superconductivity in LaTe2-xSbx can be explained in the framework of the BCS theory., Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures

Here we report on a new kind of compound, X{\delta}Ir4X12-{\delta} (X = P, As), the first hole-doped skutterudites superconductor. We provide atomic resolution images of the caging As atoms using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). By inserting As atoms into the caged structure under a high pressure, superconductivity emerges with a maximum transition temperature (Tc) of 4.4 K (4.8 K) in IrAs3 (IrP3). In contrast to all of the electron-doped skutterudites, the electronic states around the Fermi level in X{\delta}Ir4X12-{\delta} are dominated by the caged X atom, which can be described by a simple body-centered tight-binding model, implying a distinct paring mechanism. Our density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal an intimate relationship between the pressure-dependent local-phonon mode and the enhancement of Tc. The discovery of X{\delta}Ir4X12-{\delta} provides an arena to investigate the uncharted territory of hole-doped skutterudites, and the method proposed here represents a new strategy of carrier doping in caged structures, without introducing extra elements., Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures, 1 table

Kagome lattice systems have been proposed to host rich physics, which provide an excellent platform to explore unusual quantum states. Here, we report on the discovery of superconductivity in van der Waals material Pd3P2S8 under pressure. The superconductivity is observed in Pd3P2S8 for those pressures where the temperature dependence of the resistivity changes from a semiconducting-like behavior to that of a normal metal. The superconducting transition temperature Tc increases with applied pressure and reaches ~ 6.83 K at 79.5 GPa. Combining high-pressure XRD, Raman spectroscopy and theoretical calculations, our results demonstrate that the observed superconductivity induced by high pressure in Pd3P2S8 is closely related to the formation of amorphous phase, which results from the structural instability due to the enhanced coupling between interlayer Pd and S atoms upon compression., Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures

The clathrate-like or caged compounds have attracted continuing interest due to their structural flexibility as well as fertile physical properties. Here we report a pressure-induced reemergence of superconductivity in BaIr2Ge7 and Ba3Ir4Ge16, two new caged superconductors with two-dimensional building blocks of cage structures. After suppressing the ambient-pressure superconducting (SC-I) state, a new superconducting (SC-II) state emerges unexpectedly, with Tc increased to a maximum of 4.4 K and 4.0 K for BaIr2Ge7 and Ba3Ir4Ge16, respectively. Combined with high-pressure synchrotron x-ray diffraction and Raman measurements, we propose that the reemergence of superconductivity in the caged superconductors can be ascribed to a pressure-induced phonon softening linked to the cage shrink., Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures

The magnetic van der Waals crystals (MnX2Te4)m(X2Te3)n (X = Sb, Bi) have drawn significant attention due to their rich topological properties and the tenability by external magnetic field. In this work, we report on the discovery of superconductivity in magnetic topological insulator candidate MnSb4Te7 (m = 1, n = 1) via the application of high pressure. The antiferromagnetic ordering is robust to pressure until 8 GPa and then fully suppressed. The carrier type converts from hole- to electron-type accompanied with structural phase transition at around 15 GPa. Superconductivity emerges near the critical pressure 30 GPa where MnSb4Te7 converted into a simple cubic phase. Interestingly, MnSb4Te7 shows a dome-like phase diagram with a maximum Tc of 2.2 K at 50.7 GPa. The results demonstrate that MnSb4Te7 with nontrivial topology of electronic states display new ground states upon compression., Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures

High-entropy alloy (HEA) is an attracting topic raising in materials science and condensed matter physics. Although several types of superconductors have been discovered in HEAs, the critical currents (Jc) of HEA superconductors remain uncharacterized up to now. Here, we systematically study the current-carrying ability of (TaNb)0.7(HfZrTi)0.5 HEA at various heat treatment conditions. We obtained the high upper critical field and large current carrying ability, which point to optimistic applications. Interestingly, the fishtail or second peak effect was found for the first time in HEA superconductors, and the position of the vortex pinning force shows a maximum at 0.72 of the reduced field, which is quite different from the cuprates and iron-based high-Tc superconductors. Together with the resistive measurements, the vortex phase diagram is obtained for HEA superconductor., Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures

We report the synthesis and superconducting properties of a layered cage compound Ba3Rh4Ge16. Similar to Ba3Ir4Ge16, the compound is composed of 2D networks of cage units, formed by noncubic Rh-Ge building blocks, in marked contrast to the reported rattling compounds. The electrical resistivity, magnetization, specific heat capacity, and muSR measurements unveiled moderately coupled s-wave superconductivity with a critical temperature Tc = 7.0 K, the upper critical field ~ 2.5 T, the electron-phonon coupling strength ~ 0.80, and the Ginzburg-Landau parameter ~ 7.89. The mass reduction by the substitution of Ir by Rh is believed to be responsible for the enhancement of Tc and coupling between the cage and guest atoms. Our results highlight the importance of the atomic weight of the framework in cage compounds in controlling the electron-phonon coupling strength and Tc., Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures,1 table

The recent discovery of superconductivity up to 32 K in the pressurized MoB2 reignites the interests in exploring high-Tc superconductors in transition-metal diborides. Inspired by that work, we turn our attention to the 5d transition-metal diborides. Here we systematically investigate the responses of both structural and physical properties of WB2 and ReB2 to external pressure, which possess different types of boron layers. Similar to MoB2, the pressure-induced superconductivity was also observed in WB2 above 60 GPa with a maximum Tc of 15 K at 100 GPa, while no superconductivity was detected in ReB2 in this pressure range. Interestingly, the structures at ambient pressure for both WB2 and ReB2 persist to high pressure without structural phase transitions. Theoretical calculations suggest that the ratio of flat boron layers in this class of transition-metal diborides may be crucial for the appearance of high Tc. The combined theoretical and experimental results highlight the effect of geometry of boron layers on superconductivity and shed light on the exploration of novel high-Tc superconductors in borides., Comment: 17 pages,5 figures

Weyl semimetal (WSM) as a new type of quantum state of matter hosting low energy relativistic quasiparticles, has attracted significant attention for both scientific community and potential quantum device applications. Here, we report a comprehensive investigation of the structural, magnetic and transport properties of noncentrosymmetric RAlSi (R = Sm, Ce), which have been predicted to be new magnetic WSM candidates. Both samples exhibit non-saturated magnetoresistance (MR), with ~ 900% for SmAlSi and 80% for CeAlSi at 1.8 K, 9 T. The carrier densities of SmAlSi and CeAlSi display remarkable change around magnetic transition temperatures, signifying that the electronic states are sensitive to magnetic ordering of rare earth elements. At low temperatures, SmAlSi reveals prominent Shubnikov-de Haas (SdH) oscillations associated with the nontrivial Berry phase. High pressure experiments demonstrate that the magnetic order is robust and survival under high pressure. Our results would yield valuable insights of WSM physics and potentials in application to the next-generation spintronic devices in RAX family., Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures

In topological materials, Dirac fermions can split into two Weyl fermions with opposite chiralities due to the breaking of space inversion symmetry, while in non-centrosymmetric superconductors, novel superconducting electron pairing mechanisms arise because of the antisymmetric spin-orbit coupling. In this work, we report the pressure-introduced superconductivity in a typical noncentrosymmetric Weyl semimetal LaAlX (X=Si and Ge). Superconductivity was observed at around 65 GPa without structural phase transition. A typical dome-shape phase diagram is obtained with the maximum Tc of 2.5 K (2.1 K) for LaAlSi (LaAlGe). Furthermore, the application of pressure does not destroy the nontrivial band topology of LaAlSi up to 80.4 GPa, making such materials as potential candidates for realizing topological superconductivity. Our discovery of superconductivity in LaAlX (X=Si and Ge) will provide critical insight in noncentrosymmetric superconductors and stimulate further study on superconductivity in Weyl semimetals., Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures, 1 table

The recent discovery of superconductivity up to 32 K in the pressurized MoB2 revives the interests in exploring novel superconductors in transition-metal diborides isostructural to MgB2. Although the Mo 4d-electrons participate in Cooper pairing, the electron-phonon coupling remains the dominant mechanism for the emergence of superconductivity in MoB2. To explore possible superconductivity driven by unconventional pairing mechanism, we turn our attention to an itinerant antiferromagnet CrB2. Here we report on the discovery of superconductivity up to 7 K in CrB2 via the application of external pressure. Superconductivity is observed after the antiferromagnetic transition at TN ~ 88 K under ambient pressure is completely suppressed. Then, the superconducting Tc increases monotonically with pressure and this evolution takes place without a structural transition in the sample. Since the proximity of superconductivity to an antiferromagnetic order, the quantum criticality and unconventional superconductivity may exist in CrB2. Current study would promote further studies and explorations of novel superconductors in other transition-metal diborides., Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures

Superconductivity in topological kagome metals has recently received great research interests. Here, charge density wave (CDW) orders and the evolution of superconductivity under various pressures in CsV3Sb5 single crystal with V kagome lattice are investigated. By using high-resolution scanning tunnelling microscopy /spectroscopy (STM/STS), two CDW orders in CsV3Sb5 are observed which correspond to 4a*1a and 2a*2a superlattices. By applying pressure, the superconducting transition temperature Tc is significantly enhanced and reaches a maximum value of 8.2 K at around 1 GPa. Accordingly, CDW state is gradually declined as increasing the pressure, which indicates the competing interplay between CDW and superconducting state in this material. The broad superconducting transitions around 0.4 - 0.8 GPa can be related to the strong competition relation among two CDW states and superconductivity. These results demonstrate that CsV3Sb5 is a new platform for exploring the interplay between superconductivity and CDW in topological kagome metals., Comment: 20 pages, 10 figures

Kagome lattice, made of corner-sharing triangles, provides an excellent platform for hosting exotic topological quantum states. Here we systematically studied the magnetic and transport properties of RMn6Sn6 (R = Tb, Dy, Ho) with clean Mn kagome lattice. All the compounds have a collinear ferrimagnetic structure with different easy axis at low temperature. The low-temperature magnetoresistance (MR) is positive and has no tendency to saturate below 7 T, while the MR gradually declines and becomes negative with the increasing temperature. A large intrinsic anomalous Hall conductivity about 250 {\Omega}-1cm-1, 40 {\Omega}-1cm-1, 95 {\Omega}-1cm-1 is observed for TbMn6Sn6, DyMn6Sn6, HoMn6Sn6, respectively. Our results imply that RMn6Sn6 system is an excellent platform to discover other intimately related topological or quantum phenomena and also tune the electronic and magnetic properties in future studies., Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures

Since the discovery of superconductivity in MgB2 (Tc ~ 39 K), the search for superconductivity in related materials with similar structures or ingredients has never stopped. Although about 100 binary borides have been explored, only few of them show superconductivity with relatively low Tc. In this work, we report the discovery of superconductivity up to 32 K in MoB2 under pressure which is the highest Tc in transition-metal borides. Although the Tc can be well explained by theoretical calculations in the framework of electron-phonon coupling, the d-electrons and phonon modes of transition metal Mo atoms play utterly important roles in the emergence of superconductivity in MoB2, distinctly different from the case of well-known MgB2. Our study sheds light on the exploration of high-Tc superconductors in transition metal borides., Comment: 13 pages,4 figures,1 table

A search for the single material system that simultaneously exhibits topological phase and intrinsic superconductivity has been largely limited, although such a system is far more favorable especially for the quantum device applications. Except artificially engineered topological superconductivity in heterostructure systems, another alternative is to have superconductivity arising from the topological materials by pressure or other clean technology. Here, based on first-principles calculations, we first show that quasi-one-dimensional compound (NbSe4)2I represents a rare example of a chiral Weyl semimetal in which the set of symmetry-related Weyl points (WPs) exhibit the same chiral charge at a certain energy. The net chiral charge (NCC) of the below Fermi level EF (or a certain energy) can be tuned by pressure. In addition, a partial disorder induced by pressure accompanied with superconductivity emerges. Although amorphization of the iodine sub-lattice under high pressure, the one-dimensional NbSe4 chains in (NbSe4)2I remain intact and provide a superconducting channel in one dimension. Our combined theoretical and experimental research provide critical insight into a new phase of the one-dimensional system, in which distinctive phase transitions and correlated topological states emerge upon compression.

Recently monolayer jacutingaite (Pt2HgSe3), a naturally occurring exfoliable mineral, discovered in Brazil in 2008, has been theoretically predicted as a candidate quantum spin Hall system with a 0.5 eV band gap, while the bulk form is one of only a few known dual-topological insulators which may host different surface states protected by symmetries. In this work, we systematically investigate both structure and electronic evolution of bulk Pt2HgSe3 under high pressure up to 96 GPa. The nontrivial topology persists up to the structural phase transition observed in the high-pressure regime. Interestingly, we found that this phase transition is accompanied by the appearance of superconductivity at around 55 GPa and the critical transition temperature Tc increases with applied pressure. Our results demonstrate that Pt2HgSe3 with nontrivial topology of electronic states displays new ground states upon compression and raises potentials in application to the next-generation spintronic devices., Comment: 17 pages,6 figures, 1 table

A Weyl semimetal with strong electron-phonon interaction can show axionic coupling in its insulator state at low temperatures, owing to the formation of a charge density wave (CDW). Such a CDW emerges in the linear chain compound Weyl semimetal Ta$_2$Se$_8$I below 263 K, resulting in the appearance of the dynamical condensed-matter axion quasiparticle. In this study, we demonstrate that the interchain coupling in Ta$_2$Se$_8$I can be varied to suppress the CDW formation with pressure, while retaining the Weyl semimetal phase at high temperatures. Above 17 GPa, the Weyl semimetal phase does not survive and we induce superconductivity, due to the amorphization of the iodine sub-lattice. Structurally, the one-dimensional Ta-Se-chains remain intact and provide a superconducting channel in one dimension. We highlight that our results show a near-complete suppression of the gap induced by the axionic charge-density wave at pressures inaccessible to previous studies. Including this CDW phase, our experiments and theoretical predictions and analysis reveal the complete topological phase diagram of Ta$_2$Se$_8$I and its relationship to the nearby superconducting state. The results demonstrate Ta$_2$Se$_8$I to be a distinctively versatile platform for exploring correlated topological states., Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures

Recently, natural van der Waals heterostructures of (MnBi2Te4)m(Bi2Te3)n have been theoretically predicted and experimentally shown to host tunable magnetic properties and topologically nontrivial surface states. In this work, we systematically investigate both the structural and electronic responses of MnBi2Te4 and MnBi4Te7 to external pressure. In addition to the suppression of antiferromagnetic order, MnBi2Te4 is found to undergo a metal-semiconductor-metal transition upon compression. The resistivity of MnBi4Te7 changes dramatically under high pressure and a non-monotonic evolution of \r{ho}(T) is observed. The nontrivial topology is proved to persists before the structural phase transition observed in the high-pressure regime. We find that the bulk and surface states respond differently to pressure, which is consistent with the non-monotonic change of the resistivity. Interestingly, a pressure-induced amorphous state is observed in MnBi2Te4, while two high pressure phase transitions are revealed in MnBi4Te7. Our combined theoretical and experimental research establishes MnBi2Te4 and MnBi4Te7 as highly tunable magnetic topological insulators, in which phase transitions and new ground states emerge upon compression., Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures

The extremely large magnetoresistance (XMR) in nonmagnetic semimetals has inspired growing interest owing to both intriguing physics and potential applications. We report results of synchrotron X-ray diffraction (SXRD) and electrical transport measurements on TaAs2 under pressure up to ~ 37 GPa, which revealed an anisotropic compression of the unit cell, formation of unusual As-As bonds above 9.5 GPa, and enhancement of metallicity. Interestingly, the MR of TaAs2 under pressure changed gently, which at 1.7 GPa is 96.6% and at 36.6 GPa is still 36.7%. The almost robust MR under pressure could be related to the nearly stable electronic structure unveiled by the ab initio calculations. The discovery would expand the potential use of XMR even under high pressure., Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures including those in supporting information

PH3 is studied to understand the superconducting transition and responsible stoichiometry under high pressure by means of Raman, IR, and x-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements, and theoretical calculations. It is found PH3 is stable up to about 8 GPa and then starts to dehydrogenate through two dimerization processes at room temperature as pressure up to 25 GPa. Two resulting phosphorus hydrides, P2H4 and P4H6, are verified experimentally and can be recovered to ambient pressure. On further compression above 35 GPa, P4H6 directly decomposes into elemental phosphorus. The superconductivity transition temperatures of P4H6 at 100 and 200 GPa have been predicted to be 13 and 67 K in agreement with reported results, suggesting it might responsible for the superconductivity at higher pressures. Our results clearly show that P2H4 and P4H6 are only stable P-H compounds between PH3 and elemental phosphorus, shedding light on the superconducting mechanism.