Superconductivity of 2.2 K under Pressure in Helimagnet CrAs

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that applying pressure suppresses helimagnetism in CrAs and induces superconductivity at 2.2 K, with electronic correlations likely mediating the superconducting state.

Contribution

It reveals pressure-induced superconductivity in CrAs and links it to enhanced electronic correlations near magnetic suppression.

Findings

Superconductivity appears at ~2.2 K under pressure.

Helimagnetic order is suppressed above 0.7 GPa.

Critical fields and resistivity coefficients increase near P_c.

Abstract

We report resistivity measurements of the helimagnet CrAs under pressures. The helimagnetic transition with T_N ~ 265 K at ambient pressure is completely suppressed above a critical pressure of P_c ~ 0.7 GPa, and superconductivity is observed at ~2.2 K for zero resistance, which exists in a wide pressure range extending beyond 3 GPa. Both the upper critical field H_{c2} and the coefficient A in the resistivity increase toward P_c, suggesting that the superconductivity of CrAs is mediated by electronic correlations enhanced in the vicinity of the helimagnetic phase.