Second-order charge-density-wave transition in single crystals of La3Co4Sn13

Abstract

We present the temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity, the magnetic susceptibility, and the specific heat of a high-quality single crystal of ${\mathrm{La}}_{3}{\mathrm{Co}}_{4}{\mathrm{Sn}}_{13}$. As opposed to earlier reports on this system, these bulk properties exhibit clear anomalies at the phase transition at ${T}^{*}=151(1)$ K, while the present data confirm the second-order character of this transition. X-ray diffraction with synchrotron radiation is used to solve the fourfold superstructure in space group $I{2}_{1}3$ as it exists below ${T}^{*}$ in the charge-density-wave (CDW) state of ${\mathrm{La}}_{3}{\mathrm{Co}}_{4}{\mathrm{Sn}}_{13}$. Unlike conventional CDW systems, we have observed hysteresis between the zero-field-cooled and field-cooled magnetization below the CDW transition. This discrepancy can be attributed to a possible magnetic instability arising out of correlations of Co in the lattice, developing at the CDW transition. The crystal structure shows that any modifications of the electronic state of Co might be due to modified binding characteristics of the Sn atoms comprising the trigonal prismatic coordination of Co, while the coordination of Co itself is hardly changed at the phase transition. The superconducting transition is observed at ${T}_{\text{sc}}=2.85(2)$ K. The superconducting energy gap is estimated as 5 K on the basis of the specific heat measured down to 0.1 K. These results suggest that ${\mathrm{La}}_{3}{\mathrm{Co}}_{4}{\mathrm{Sn}}_{13}$ is a conventional weak-electron-phonon-coupling superconductor.