Pressure-induced superconductivity in Bi0.85Sb0.15 alloy

Abstract

Pressure variation of the electrical and structural properties of bismuth-antimony alloy at the composition of x = 0.15 (Bi0.85Sb 0.15) has been studied by electrical resistivity and synchrotron radiation x-ray diffraction measurements up to 10 GPa. The crystal structure changes from the A7 structure to the incommensurate host-guest composite one at 3 GPa and room temperature. Temperature dependence of the resistivity greatly changes from the semiconducting behaviour to the metallic one associated with the structural phase transition. Pressure-induced superconducting transition of Bi0.85Sb0.15 is observed above 4.5 GPa. The transition temperature Tc is found to decrease from 6.79 GPa at 4.5 GPa to 5.82 K at 9.5 GPa with increasing pressure. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.