Superconductors are integral to modern technologies, including medical imaging devices, maglev trains, and efficient power transmission. However, their utility is limited by the need for cooling to temperatures as low as four Kelvin. Discovering materials that operate at higher temperatures-notably above 77 Kelvin, where liquid nitrogen can replace liquid helium-remains a key scientific goal.
Recent breakthroughs, such as the 2008 discovery of iron-based superconductors, suggest that high-temperature superconductivity may arise from mechanisms different from those described by the BCS (Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer) theory. Magnetic elements and materials exhibiting "magnetic ordering" are increasingly recognized as important for fostering unconventional superconductivity.
The team, led by Associate Professor Yoshikazu Mizuguchi, synthesized a new superconducting alloy combining iron, nickel, and zirconium using arc melting. Although iron zirconide and nickel zirconide in crystalline form do not exhibit superconductivity, the alloy demonstrated superconducting behavior. The researchers noted that the crystal structure matched that of tetragonal transition-metal zirconides, a family of materials known for their potential superconducting properties. Additionally, the lattice constants varied systematically with the iron-to-nickel ratio, confirming the controllable nature of the alloy's structure.
A crucial observation was the presence of a "dome-like" variation in the superconducting transition temperature across different compositions, a characteristic linked to unconventional superconductivity. Further studies revealed a magnetic-transition-like anomaly in the magnetization of nickel zirconide, hinting at a connection between magnetic order and the observed superconducting properties.
The researchers aim to leverage this discovery to deepen the understanding of unconventional superconductivity and advance the development of cutting-edge materials for future superconducting technologies.
This research was supported by JSPS-KAKENHI Grant Number 23KK0088, the TMU Research Project for an Emergent Future Society, and a Tokyo Government-Advanced Research Grant (H31 - 1).
Research Report:Superconducting properties and electronic structure of CuAl2-type transition-metal zirconide Fe1-xNixZr2
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