Growth and transport properties under high pressure of PrOBiS2 single crystals

TL;DR

This study reports the growth of PrOBiS2 single crystals, analyzes their valence and transport properties, and finds they remain semiconducting under high pressure up to 50 GPa, with no superconductivity observed.

Contribution

First successful growth and characterization of PrOBiS2 single crystals, including their high-pressure transport behavior and valence state analysis.

Findings

Crystals are plate-like, 0.5-1.0 mm in size.

Pr valence is nearly trivalent.

Crystals remain semiconducting up to 50 GPa, no superconductivity observed.

Abstract

PrOBiS2 single crystals were successfully grown using a KCl flux. The obtained crystals had a plate-like shape with a typical size of 0.5-1.0 mm and well-developed ab-plane. The Pr valence of the grown crystals, as determined by an X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy analysis, was almost trivalent. The PrOBiS2 single crystals did not exhibit superconductivity down to 0.25 K. The transport properties under high pressures up to 50 GPa ensured semiconducting behavior for 2-300 K using a diamond anvil cell.