Pressure- and composition-induced structural quantum phase transition in the cubic superconductor (Sr, Ca)3Ir4Sn13.
We show that the quasi-skutterudite superconductor Sr(3)Ir(4)Sn(13) undergoes a structural transition from a simple cubic parent structure, the I phase, to a superlattice variant, the I' phase, which has a lattice parameter twice that of the high temperature phase. We argue that the superlattice distortion is associated with a charge density wave transition of the conduction electron system and demonstrate that the superlattice transition temperature T(*) can be suppressed to zero by combining chemical and physical pressure. This enables the first comprehensive investigation of a superlattice quantum phase transition and its interplay with superconductivity in a cubic charge density wave system.
Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J.J. Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom.
Lina E
LE
Klintberg
Swee K
SK
Goh
Patricia L
PL
Alireza
Paul J
PJ
Saines
David A
DA
Tompsett
Peter W
PW
Logg
Jinhu
J
Yang
Bin
B
Chen
Kazuyoshi
K
Yoshimura
F Malte
FM
Grosche