MgCNi3: a conventional and yet puzzling superconductor

TL;DR

MgCNi3 is a superconductor with conventional s-wave pairing, but exhibits puzzling physical properties and discrepancies between experiments and theoretical predictions, prompting further investigation into its electronic structure.

Contribution

This study provides comprehensive experimental evidence supporting conventional electron-phonon superconductivity in MgCNi3, addressing previous theoretical predictions of magnetic instability.

Findings

Superconductivity in MgCNi3 is consistent with s-wave symmetry.

Upper critical field Hc2 follows the WHH relation.

Positive dTc/dP suggests modifications needed in band structure calculations.

Abstract

The newly discovered superconductivity in MgCNi3, though with Tc<8 K lower than that of the celebrated MgB2, is probably even more interesting in its many puzzling physical properties. MgCNi3 has been theoretically speculated to be unstable towards ferromagnetism. However, there are numerous evidences from the specific heat C(T), Tunneling spectroscopy and NMR experiments indicating conventional s-wave superconductivity in MgCNi3. The Hall effect and the thermoelectric power experiments suggest that the carriers responsible for the transport properties are electrons, in obvious contrast to holes predicated by the band structure calculations. In this article, we report the results of C(T) experiments, upper critical field Hc2 measurements, and the pressure effects on MgCNi3. These experimental evidences clearly demonstrate that superconductivity in MgCNi3 is well explained within the conventional electron-phonon interaction scenario, at most with minor modifications from the magnetic interaction. The thermodynamic data C(T) is consistent with the conventional s-wave order parameter. Hc2 of all samples follows a universal WHH relation . Surprisingly, dTc/dP is positive which leaves room for further improvements in band structure calculations. There are other serious discrepancies between experiments and theory like in the transport properties and x-ray photoemission. The possible reconciliation within the two-band model and the consequent difficulties are discussed.