Superconductivity at 5.5 K in Nb2PdSe5 compound

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery of superconductivity at 5.5 K in Nb2PdSe5, a compound structurally similar to Nb2PdS5, with a high upper critical field within the Pauli limit, expanding understanding of layered superconductors.

Contribution

First synthesis and characterization of Nb2PdSe5 showing superconductivity and detailed analysis of its structural and magnetic properties.

Findings

Superconductivity at 5.5 K in Nb2PdSe5

Upper critical field around 8.2 Tesla within Pauli limit

Structural confirmation of monoclinic phase with PdSe2 chains

Abstract

We report superconductivity in as synthesized Nb2PdSe5, which is similar to recently discovered Nb2PdS5 compound having very high upper critical field, clearly above the Pauli paramagnetic limit [Sci. Rep. 3, 1446 (2013)]. A bulk polycrystalline Nb2PdSe5 sample is synthesized by solid state reaction route in phase pure structure. The structural characterization has been done by X ray diffraction, followed by Rietveld refinements, which revealed that Nb2PdSe5 sample is crystallized in monoclinic structure with in space group C2/m. Structural analysis revealed the formation of sharing of one dimensional PdSe2 chains. Electrical and magnetic measurements confirmed superconductivity in Nb2PdSe5 compound at 5.5K. Detailed magneto-resistance results, exhibited the value of upper critical field to be around 8.2Tesla. The estimated Hc2(0) is within Pauli Paramagnetic limit, which is unlike the Nb2PdS5.