Superconductivity versus structural phase transition in the closely relatedBi2Rh3.5S2andBi2Rh3S2

Udhara S. Kaluarachchi, Weiwei Xie, Qisheng Lin, Valentin Taufour, Sergey L. Bud'ko, Gordon J. Miller, Paul C. Canfield
2015 Physical Review B  
Single crystals of Bi_2 Rh _3S _2 and Bi_2 Rh _3.5S _2 were synthesized by solution growth and the crystal structures, thermodynamic and transport properties of both compounds were studied. In the case of Bi_2 Rh _3S _2, a structural first-order transition at around 165 K is identified by single crystal diffraction experiments, with clear signatures visible in resistivity, magnetization and specific heat data. No superconducting transition for Bi_2 Rh _3S _2 was observed down to 0.5 K. In
more » ... st, no structural phase transition at high temperature was observed for Bi_2 Rh _3.5S _2, however bulk superconductivity with a critical temperature, T_c≈ 1.7 K was observed. The Sommerfeld coefficient γ and the Debye temperature(_D) were found to be 9.4 mJ mol^-1 K^-2 and 209 K respectively for Bi_2 Rh _3S _2, and 22 mJ mol^-1 K^-2 and 196 K respectively for Bi_2 Rh _3.5S _2. Study of the specific heat in the superconducting state of Bi_2 Rh _3.5S _2 suggests that Bi_2 Rh _3.5S _2 is a weakly coupled, BCS superconductor.
doi:10.1103/physrevb.91.174513 fatcat:hepvmii2dzabhhmzs7f6ukhfdq