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arXiv · 2304.04993

Effects of equivalent composition on superconducting properties of high-entropy REOBiS$_2$ (RE = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd) single crystals

Abstract

Superconductors are influenced by high-entropy alloys (HEAs); these have been investigated in various functional materials. REOBiS$_2$ (RE = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, and Gd in different combinations) single crystals with HEAs at the RE-site were successfully grown using the flux method. The obtained crystals were plate-shaped (1 mm$^2$) with a well-developed c-plane. Ce was present in both trivalent (Ce$^{3+}$) and tetravalent (Ce$^{4+}$) electronic configurations; the concentration of Ce$^{4+}$ at the RE-site was approximately 10 at% in all single crystals. The single crystals showed superconducting transition temperature with zero resistivity within 1.2-4.2 K. The superconducting transition temperature, superconducting anisotropy, electronic specific heat coefficient, and Debye temperature of the crystals were not correlated with the mixed entropy at the RE-site. Except for the electronic specific heat coefficient, the variation of these parameters as a function of mixed entropy showed different trends for equivalent and non-equivalent RE element compositions. Thus, the configuration of RE elements influences the superconducting properties of REOBiS$_2$ single crystals, alluding to a method of modulating transition temperatures.

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BibTeXRIS

Yuma Fujita, Masanori Nagao, Akira Miura, Daisuke Urushihara, Yoshikazu Mizuguchi, Yuki Maruyama, Satoshi Watauchi, Yoshihiko Takano, Isao Tanaka. 2023-04-11. Effects of equivalent composition on superconducting properties of high-entropy REOBiS$_2$ (RE = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd) single crystals. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physc.2023.1354254

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