Pressure induced superconductivity bordering a charge-density-wave state in NbTe4 with strong spinorbit coupling

TL;DR

This study demonstrates pressure-induced superconductivity in NbTe4, a charge-density wave material with strong spin-orbit coupling, revealing a transition from CDW to superconducting state under high pressure.

Contribution

It reports the discovery of superconductivity in NbTe4 induced by pressure, highlighting the interplay between CDW and superconductivity in a strong spin-orbit coupled quasi-1D material.

Findings

Superconductivity emerges above 12.4 GPa in NbTe4.

Zero resistance observed at 69 GPa with Tc = 2.2 K.

Large magnetoresistance up to 102% at low temperatures.

Abstract

Transition-metal chalcogenides host various phases of matter, such as charge-density wave (CDW), superconductors, and topological insulators or semimetals. Superconductivity and its competition with CDW in low-dimensional compounds have attracted much interest and stimulated considerable research. Here we report pressure induced superconductivity in a strong spin-orbit (SO) coupled quasi-one-dimensional (1D) transition-metal chalcogenide NbTe$_4$, which is a CDW material under ambient pressure. With increasing pressure, the CDW transition temperature is gradually suppressed, and superconducting transition, which is fingerprinted by a steep resistivity drop, emerges at pressures above 12.4 GPa. Under pressure $p$ = 69 GPa, zero resistance is detected with a transition temperature $T_c$ = 2.2 K and an upper critical field $H_{c2}$= 2 T. We also find large magnetoresistance (MR) up to 102\% at low temperatures, which is a distinct feature differentiating NbTe$_4$ from other conventional CDW materials.