arXiv subjects

Pengtao Yang

Publications and source records attributed to Pengtao Yang.

21 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

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↗

arXiv2021

Anomalous Charge Density Wave State Evolution and Dome-like Superconductivity in CuIr2Te4-xSex Chalcogenides

We report the anomalous charge density wave (CDW) state evolution and dome-like superconductivity (SC) in CuIr2Te4-xSex series. Room temperature powder X ray-diffraction (PXRD) results indicate that CuIr2Te4-xSex compounds retain the same structure as the host CuIr2Te4 and the unit cell constants a and c manifest a linear decline with increasing Se content. Magnetization, resistivity and heat capacity results suggest that superconducting transition temperature (Tc) exhibits a weak dome-like variation as substituting Te by Se with the maximum Tc = 2.83 K for x = 0.1 followed by suppression in Tc and simultaneous decrease of the superconducting volume fraction. Unexpectedly, the CDW-like transition (TCDW) is suppressed with lower Se doping but re-emerges at higher doping. Meanwhile, the temperature-dependent XRD measurements show that the trigonal structure is stable at 20 K, 100 K and 300 K for the host sample and the doping composition with x = 0.5, thus we propose that the behaviour CDW-like transition arises from the disorder effect created by chemical doping and is not related to structural transition. The lower and the upper critical fields of these compounds are also addressed.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2021

Monoclinic EuSn$_2$As$_2$: A Novel High-Pressure Network Structure

The layered crystal of EuSn$_2$As$_2$ has a Bi$_2$Te$_3$-type structure in rhombohedral ($R\bar{3}m$) symmetry and has been confirmed to be an intrinsic magnetic topological insulator at ambient conditions. Combining {\it ab initio} calculations and \emph{in-situ} x-ray diffraction measurements, we identify a new monoclinic EuSn$_2$As$_2$ structure in $C2/m$ symmetry above $\sim$14 GPa. It has a three-dimensional network made up of honeycomb-like Sn sheets and zigzag As chains, transformed from the layered EuSn$_2$As$_2$ via a two-stage reconstruction mechanism with the connecting of Sn-Sn and As-As atoms successively between the buckled SnAs layers. Its dynamic structural stability has been verified by phonon mode analysis. Electrical resistance measurements reveal an insulator-metal-superconductor transition at low temperature around 5 and 15 GPa, respectively, according to the structural conversion, and the superconductivity with a \textit{T}${\rm {_C}}$ value of $\sim 4$ K is observed up to 30.8 GPa. These results establish a high-pressure EuSn$_2$As$_2$ phase with intriguing structural and electronic properties and expand our understandings about the layered magnetic topological insulators.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗