Large enhancement of superconducting transition temperature in single-element superconducting rhenium by shear strain.
Finding a physical approach for increasing the superconducting transition temperature (Tc) is a challenge in the field of material science. Shear strain effects on the superconductivity of rhenium were investigated using magnetic measurements, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and first-principles calculations. A large shear strain reduces the grain size and simultaneously expands the unit cells, resulting in an increase in Tc. Here we show that this shear strain approach is a new method for enhancing Tcand differs from that using hydrostatic strain. The enhancement of Tcis explained by an increase in net electron-electron coupling rather than a change in the density of states near the Fermi level. The shear strain effect in rhenium could be a successful example of manipulating Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer-type Cooper pairing, in which the unit cell volumes are indeed a key parameter.
Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Kitakyushu 804-8550, Japan.
Masaki
M
Mito
Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Kitakyushu 804-8550, Japan.
Hideaki
H
Matsui
Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Kitakyushu 804-8550, Japan.
Kazuki
K
Tsuruta
Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Kitakyushu 804-8550, Japan.
Tomiko
T
Yamaguchi
Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Kitakyushu 804-8550, Japan.
Kazuma
K
Nakamura
Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Kitakyushu 804-8550, Japan.
Hiroyuki
H
Deguchi
Flexible Electronics Research Center (FLEC), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba 305-8565, Japan.
Naoki
N
Shirakawa
Graduate School of Engineering, University of Hyogo, Himeji 671-2280, Japan.
Hiroki
H
Adachi
Graduate School of Engineering, University of Hyogo, Himeji 671-2280, Japan.
Tohru
T
Yamasaki
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 819-0395 Japan.
Hideaki
H
Iwaoka
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 819-0395 Japan.
Yoshifumi
Y
Ikoma
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 819-0395 Japan.|International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research (WPI-I2CNER), Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 819-0395 Japan.
Zenji
Z
Horita