arXiv subjects

Lingling Gao

Publications and source records attributed to Lingling Gao.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Pressure-induced Superconductivity in 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 transition. Here, we report the discovery of pressure-induced superconductivity in the TE semiconductor Mg3Sb2. Upon the increased pressure, the 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 P-3m1 to the metallic C2/m-I phase. The superconducting critical temperature (Tc) 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.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2023

Pressure-induced Superconductivity and Topological Quantum Phase Transitions in the Topological Semimetal ZrTe2

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.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2023

Robust anomalous Hall effect in ferromagnetic metal under high pressure

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) σxyA remains around 150 Ω-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.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2023

Pressure-tunable magnetic topological phases in magnetic topological insulator MnSb4Te7

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 σxyA keeps around 10 Ω-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.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2023

Pressure-Induced Superconductivity in Topological Heterostructure (PbSe)5(Bi2Se3)6

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.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2022

Pressure-induced superconductivity in PdTeI with quasi-one-dimensional PdTe chains

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.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2022

Pressured-induced superconductivity extending across the topological phase transition in thallium-based topological materials TlBi(S1-xSex)2

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.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2022

Pressure-Tuning Superconductivity in Noncentrosymmetric Topological Materials ZrRuAs

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.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2022

Caging-Pnictogen-Induced Superconductivity in Skutterudites IrX3 (X = As, P)

Here we report on a new kind of compound, XδIr4X12-δ (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 XδIr4X12-δ 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 XδIr4X12-δ 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.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2022

Emergent superconductivity in van der Waals Kagome material Pd3P2S8 under high pressure

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.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2022

Pressure-induced reemergence of superconductivity in BaIr2Ge7 and Ba3Ir4Ge16 with cage structures

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.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2022

Pressure-Induced Superconductivity and Structural Phase Transitions in Magnetic Topological Insulator Candidate MnSb4Te7

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.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2022

Fishtail effect and the vortex phase diagram of high-entropy alloy superconductor

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.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2021

Superconductivity in the layered cage compound Ba3Rh4Ge16

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.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2021

Pressure induced superconductivity in WB2 and ReB2 through modifying the B layers

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.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2021

Quantum oscillations in Noncentrosymmetric Weyl semimetals RAlSi (R = Sm and Ce)

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.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2021

Pressure-induced Superconductivity in Noncentrosymmetric Weyl Semimetals LaAlX (X = Si and Ge)

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.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2021

Pressure-induced superconductivity in itinerant antiferromagnet CrB2

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.

cond-mat.supr-con↗