Superconductivity in the noncentrosymmetric half-Heusler compound LuPtBi : A possible topological superconductor

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery of superconductivity in the noncentrosymmetric LuPtBi compound, highlighting its potential as a topological superconductor due to strong spin-orbit interaction and band inversion.

Contribution

It provides experimental evidence of superconductivity in LuPtBi and theoretical insights into its topological properties driven by spin-orbit coupling.

Findings

Superconductivity at Tc = 1.0 K in LuPtBi

Semimetallic behavior in normal state due to spin-orbit interaction

Strong band inversion suggests topological superconductivity potential

Abstract

We report superconductivity in the ternary half-Heusler compound LuPtBi, with Tc = 1.0 K and Hc2 = 1.6 T. The crystal structure of LuPtBi lacks inversion symmetry, hence the material is a noncentrosymmetric superconductor. Magnetotransport data show semimetallic behavior in the normal state, which is evidence for the importance of spin-orbit interaction. Theoretical calculations indicate that the strong spin-orbit interaction in LuPtBi should cause strong band inversion, making this material a promising candidate for 3D topological superconductivity.