Robust zero resistance in a superconducting high-entropy alloy at pressures up to 190 GPa

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS Vol. 114; no. 50; pp. 13144 - 13147
• Main Authors: Guo, Jing, Wang, Honghong, von Rohr, Fabian, Wang, Zhe, Cai, Shu, Zhou, Yazhou, Yang, Ke, Li, Aiguo, Jiang, Sheng, Wu, Qi, Cava, Robert J., Sun, Liling
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States National Academy of Sciences 12-12-2017
• Subjects: BCC metals; Crystal structure; Earth core; High entropy alloys; High pressure; Mechanical properties; Physical Sciences; Pressure; Quantum physics; Quantum theory; Superconductivity; Transition metals; superconductivity; high pressure; high-entropy alloy
• ISSN: 0027-8424; 1091-6490
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1716981114

We report the observation of extraordinarily robust zero-resistance superconductivity in the pressurized (TaNb)0.67(HfZrTi)0.33 high-entropy alloy—a material with a body-centered-cubic crystal structure made from five randomly distributed transition-metal elements. The transition to superconductivity (TC
) increases from an initial temperature of 7.7 K at ambient pressure to 10 K at ∼60 GPa, and then slowly decreases to 9 K by 190.6 GPa, a pressure that falls within that of the outer core of the earth. We infer that the continuous existence of the zero-resistance superconductivity from 1 atm up to such a high pressure requires a special combination of electronic and mechanical characteristics. This high-entropy alloy superconductor thus may have a bright future for applications under extreme conditions, and also poses a challenge for understanding the underlying quantum physics.