Enhancement of the superconducting transition temperature by Re doping in Weyl semimetal MoTe$_{2}$

TL;DR

Re doping in Weyl semimetal MoTe₂ significantly enhances its superconducting transition temperature, achieving a record high at ambient pressure, by increasing electron doping and electron-phonon coupling.

Contribution

This study demonstrates that Re substitution induces superconductivity in MoTe₂ and significantly raises Tₙ, revealing a new method to manipulate superconductivity in topological materials.

Findings

Re doping increases Tₙ from 0.1 K to 4.1 K.

Re substitution enhances electron-phonon coupling.

Theoretical analysis confirms doping effects on electronic structure.

Abstract

This work presents the emergence of superconductivity in Re substituted topological Weyl semimetal MoTe$_{2}$. Re substitution for Mo sites lead to a sizable enhancement in the superconducting transition temperature (T$_{c}$). A record high T$_{c}$ at ambient pressure in a 1T$'$-MoTe$_{2}$ (room temperature structure) related sample is observed for the Mo$_{0.7}$Re$_{0.3}$Te$_{2}$ composition (T$_{c}$ = 4.1 K, in comparison MoTe$_{2}$, shows a T$_{c}$ of 0.1 K). The experimental and theoretical studies indicate that Re substitution is doping electrons and facilitates the emergence of superconductivity by enhancing the electron-phonon coupling and density of states at the Fermi level. Our findings, therefore, open a new way to further manipulate and enhance the superconducting state together with the topological states in 2D van der Waals materials.