Superconductivity at 3.1 K in the orthorhombic ternary silicide ScRuSi

Abstract

We report the synthesis, crystal structure, superconductivity and physical property characterizations of the ternary equiatomic compound ScRuSi. Polycrystalline samples of ScRuSi were prepared by an arc-melting method. The as-prepared samples were identified as the orthorhombic Co2P-type o-ScRuSi by powder x-ray diffraction analysis. Electrical resistivity measurements show o-ScRuSi to be a metal which superconducts below a Tc of 3.1 K; the upper critical field μ0Hc2(0) is estimated to be 0.87 T. The magnetization and specific heat measurements confirm the bulk type-II superconductivity in o-ScRuSi, with a specific heat jump within the BCS weak coupling limit. o-ScRuSi is the first Co2P-type superconductor to contain scandium. After annealing at 1273 K for a week, o-ScRuSi transforms into hexagonal Fe2P-type h-ScRuSi, which is a Pauli-paramagnetic metal with no superconductivity observed above 1.8 K.