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DOE OSTI · 1800954

Superconductivity on a Bi Square Net in LiBi

Abstract

We present the crystallographic analysis, superconducting characterization and theoretical modeling of LiBi, that contains the lightest and the heaviest nonradioactive metal. The compound crystallizes in a tetragonal (CuAu-type) crystal structure with Bi square nets separated by Li planes (parameters a = 3.3636(1) Å and c = 4.2459(2) Å, c/a = 1.26). Superconducting state was studied in detail by magnetic susceptibility and heat capacity measurements. The results reveal that LiBi is a moderately coupled type-I superconductor (λ e-p = 0.66) with T c = 2.48 K and a thermodynamic critical field H c (0) = 157 Oe. Theoretical studies show that bismuth square net is responsible for superconductivity in this compound, but the coupling between the Li planes and Bi planes makes a significant contribution to the superconductivity.

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BibTeXRIS

Górnicka, Karolina, Gutowska, Sylwia, Winiarski, Michał J., Wiendlocha, Bartlomiej, Xie, Weiwei, Cava, R. J., Klimczuk, Tomasz. 2020-03-16. Superconductivity on a Bi Square Net in LiBi. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.0c00179

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