Synthesis and search for superconductivity in LiBC

Abstract

Following the recent theoretical prediction of superconductivity in hole doped LiBC by Rosner et al [1], we have attempted to synthesise Li deficient LixBC (x = 1, 0.8, 0.6 and 0.4) and look for superconductivity in this system. Our synthesis procedure, following the recipe for MgB2, involves reaction of elemental components in a Ta crucible at 900o C under 50 bar of argon pressure. X-ray diffraction measurements indicate the formation of P63/mmc structure up to x=0.6. However, no diamagnetic signal or zero resistance, corresponding to the superconducting transition, was observed in the temperature range of 300 to 4 K. This is possibly related to the presence of disorder in the B-C stacking; evidence for which is suggested from a study of the vibrational modes of LixBC through infrared spectroscopy.

7 pages, 6 figures 1 table

References in corpus (4)

• Prediction of High Tc Superconductivity in Hole-doped LiBC
• Carbon solubility and superconductivity in MgB2
• Structural and superconducting properties of MgB${}_{2-x}$Be${}_x$
• Thermoelectric power of MgB${}_{2-x}$Be${}_x$

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• Prediction of phonon-mediated high temperature superconductivity in stoichiometric Li${}_2$B${}_3$C
• Strong coupling superconductivity in trilayer film LiB${}_2$C${}_2$
• Born Effective Charges and Infrared Response of LiBC
• Stability and superconductivity of Ca-B phases at ambient and high pressure
• First-principles prediction of phonon-mediated superconductivity in XBC (X= Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba)
• Vibrational properties of hexagonal LiBC: Infrared and Raman spectroscopy
• Prospect of high-temperature superconductivity in layered metal borocarbides
• Machine learning guided discovery of superconducting calcium borocarbides
• Thermodynamic stability of Li-B-C compounds from first principles
• First-principles design of ambient-pressure Mg${}_x$B${}_2$C${}_2$ and Na${}_x$BC superconductors
• Electron-phonon coupling and superconductivity in LiB${}_{1+x}$C${}_{1-x}$
• High-$T_{\mathrm{c}}$ Ag${}_x$BC and Cu${}_x$BC superconductors accessible via topochemical reactions