Three-dimensional superconductivity induced by an extremely small amount of Li in LixSnSe2

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

6-1-2024

Abstract

Unconventional superconductivity occurs often in materials with low dimensionality. Here, we report superconductivity observed in layered LixSnSe2 with the superconducting transition temperature Tc∼6 K. Through Li+ intercalation in semiconducting SnSe2 via electrochemical process, LixSnSe2 is formed with an extremely small x value as estimated from the c-axis lattice parameter, carrier concentration, and first-principles calculations. Electrical resistivity and magnetic susceptibility measurements allow the construction of both lower (Hc1ab) and upper critical field (Hc2abandHc2c) phase diagrams. While Hc2c obtained from 10% and 50% resistivity drops exhibits linear temperature dependence, Hc2c(90%resistivitydrop), Hc1ab, and Hc2ab can be described by the empirical formula Hci(T)=Hci(0)[1-(TTc0)2] (i=1, 2), giving Hc2c(0)=754 Oe, Hc1ab(0) = 27 Oe, and Hc2ab(0) = 1652 Oe. Using the Ginzburg-Landau formula, we further estimate that the c-axis penetration depth λc(0) = 396 nm and the coherence length anisotropy ζab(0) = 66.1 nm and ζc(0) = 30.3 nm. The fact that ζc(0) is much longer than the interlayer separation implies three-dimensional superconductivity with superconducting anisotropy ζab(0)/ζc(0) ∼2.2.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Physical Review B

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