Published January 12, 2023 | Version v1
Journal article Open

Superconductivity in ${\mathrm{SrB}}_{3}{\mathrm{C}}_{3}$ clathrate

Description

We predict superconductivity for the carbon--boron clathrate ${\mathrm{SrB}}_{3}{\mathrm{C}}_{3}$ with ${T}_{c}=27\text{--}43\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$ for Coulomb pseudopotential (μ )values between 0.17 and 0.10 using first-principles calculations with conventional electron--phonon coupling. Electrical transport measurements, facilitated by an in situ experimental design compatible with extreme synthesis conditions ($>3000\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$ at 50 GPa), show nonhysteretic resistivity drops that track the calculated magnitude and pressure dependence of superconductivity for μ ≈ 0.15, and transport measurements collected under applied magnetic fields indicate superconductivity with an onset ${T}_{c}$ of approximately 20 K at 40 GPa. Carbon-based clathrates thus represent a class of superconductors similar to other covalent metals like ${\mathrm{MgB}}_{2}$ and doped fullerenes. Carbon clathrates share structures similar to superconducting superhydrides with wide potential for tunable properties, and covalent C--B bonds allow metastable persistence at ambient conditions.

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PhysRevResearch.5.013012.pdf

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Additional details

Identifiers

DOI
10.1103/physrevresearch.5.013012
Other
oai:uchicago.tind.io:11643

Funding

National Science Foundation
U.S. Department of Energy
DE-SC0020683
U.S. Department of Energy
DE-FG02-94ER14466
U.S. Department of Energy
DE-AC02-06CH11357
Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
GBMF9071
University of Maryland
Narodowa Agencja Wymiany Akademickiej
PPN/BEK/2018/1/00035
Argonne National Laboratory

UChicago Information

Division(s)
Institutes & Centers
Center(s) or Institute(s)
Center for Advanced Radiation Sources