Abstract
Superconductivity is observed below Tc = 1.6 K in an endohedral Ga cluster compound PdGa5 using magnetization and heat capacity measurements. Electronic structure calculations show that the density of states (DOS) at the Fermi level is dominated by Ga s and p states and that the overall shape of DOS is similar to what was found in other endohedral Ga cluster superconductors, such as MoxGa5x+1, ReGa5, and T2Ga9 (T = Rh and Ir). Our results provide a more complete picture of the relationship between the valence electron count and superconductivity in the family of endohedral Ga cluster superconductors.
Highlights
One of the greatest challenges in research on superconducting materials is the lack of robust design guidelines that one could follow to create a superconductor by design
While crystal structures found in the TMxGay (TM, transition metal) compounds are diverse and rather complex, they can be conveniently described as networks of interconnected endohedral Ga clusters
What is important for searching new superconducting materials is that endohedral Ga cluster compounds show the relationship between the critical temperature (Tc) and valence electron count (VEC),[8] alike other groups of superconducting materials,[26] such as metallic elements,[1,27,28] binary A-15 phases,[1,27,29] Heusler compounds,[30,31] and high-entropy alloys.[32,33]
Summary
One of the greatest challenges in research on superconducting materials is the lack of robust design guidelines that one could follow to create a superconductor by design. Endohedral Ga cluster compounds constitute a family of superconductors that recently gained increased attention.[7−25]. While crystal structures found in the TMxGay (TM, transition metal) compounds are diverse and rather complex, they can be conveniently described as networks of interconnected endohedral Ga clusters. What is important for searching new superconducting materials is that endohedral Ga cluster compounds show the relationship between the critical temperature (Tc) and VEC,[8] alike other groups of superconducting materials,[26] such as metallic elements,[1,27,28] binary A-15 phases,[1,27,29] Heusler compounds,[30,31] and high-entropy alloys.[32,33].
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