Effect of atomic disorder and Ce doping on superconductivity of Ca3Rh4Sn13: Electric transport properties under high pressure

TL;DR

This study investigates how atomic disorder and Ce doping influence superconductivity in Ca3Rh4Sn13, revealing inhomogeneous superconductivity, coexistence with spin-glass states, and pressure effects on electronic properties.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the effects of Ce doping and atomic disorder on superconductivity and electronic structure under pressure in Ca3Rh4Sn13.

Findings

Ce doping enhances superconducting Tc beyond the parent compound.

Atomic disorder leads to coexistence of superconductivity and spin-glass states.

Pressure decreases the density of states at the Fermi level, affecting Tc.

Abstract

We report the observation of a superconducting state below 8K coexistent with a spin-glass state caused by atomic disorder in Ce substituted Ca3Rh4Sn13. Measurements of specific heat, resistivity, and magnetism reveal the existence of inhomogeneous superconductivity in samples doped with Ce with superconducting critical temperatures Tc higher than those observed in the parent compound. For Ca3Rh4Sn13, the negative value of the change in resistivity with pressure P, correlates well with the calculated decrease in the density of states at the Fermi energy with P. Based on band structure calculations performed under pressure, we demonstrate how the change in DOS would affect Tc of Ca3Rh4Sn13 under negative lattice pressure in samples that are strongly defected by quenching.