A New Superconductor Family with Various Magnetic Elements

2023-10-27

JPS Hot Topics 3, 036

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSHT.3.036

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Superconductivity in Ternary Scandium Telluride Sc₆MTe₂ with 3d, 4d, and 5d Transition Metalss
(JPSJ Editors' Choice)

Yusaku Shinoda, Yoshihiko Okamoto, Youichi Yamakawa, Haruka Matsumoto, Daigorou Hirai, and Koshi Takenaka
J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 92, 103701 (2023) .

A new superconductor family, Sc₆MTe₂, has been discovered, comprising seven variations with magnetic elements labeled as M. Notably, only a few known superconductor families exist that involve various magnetic elements.

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Understanding the connection between superconductivity, which is when a material loses all electrical resistance at low temperatures, and magnetism, a magnetic property of material, is significantly intricate. Normally, strong magnetism disrupts superconductivity; hence, materials with magnetic elements like iron tend not to exhibit superconductivity. However, materials containing magnetic elements rarely display unconventional superconductivity with remarkably high transition temperatures or unusual characteristics that defy existing theories. Unraveling the complex relationship between superconductivity and magnetism may be crucial for achieving superconductivity at room temperature. Discovering unique superconductors plays a key role in shedding light on this condition.

We investigated a family of materials, Sc₆MTe₂, consisting of scandium (Sc), tellurium (Te), and various magnetic elements like iron, cobalt, and nickel. These materials exhibit superconductivity in different cases, with specific superconducting transition temperatures varying depending on the magnetic element. For instance, Sc₆FeTe₂ boasts the highest transition temperature of T_c = 4.7 K. Families of superconductors containing diverse magnetic elements are quite rare. We anticipate that further research on this superconductor family will enhance our understanding of the interplay between superconductivity and magnetic elements.

Author: Yoshihiko Okamoto, representing all the authors.

Superconductivity in Ternary Scandium Telluride Sc₆MTe₂ with 3d, 4d, and 5d Transition Metalss
(JPSJ Editors' Choice)

Yusaku Shinoda, Yoshihiko Okamoto, Youichi Yamakawa, Haruka Matsumoto, Daigorou Hirai, and Koshi Takenaka
J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 92, 103701 (2023) .