Superconductivity in the LnNi2B2C intermetallics via boron A1g phonons

L. F. Mattheiss, T. Siegrist, R. J. Cava

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Abstract

The superconducting properties of the lanthanide LnNi2B2C phases are attributed to an electron-phonon mechanism in which high frequency boron a1g optical phonons dynamically modulate the tetrahedral NiB4 bond angles. We identify a key energy-band feature within the NiBC s-p manifold whose position relative to EF is particularly sensitive to the NiB4 tetrahedral geometry and which exhibits strong electron-phonon coupling. Favorable superconducting properties are expected for compounds where the NiB4 tetrahedra are nearly "ideal" since this happens to optimize the alignment of this special s-p band with the Fermi level.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)587-590
Number of pages4
JournalSolid State Communications
Volume91
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 1994
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Chemistry
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Materials Chemistry

Keywords

  • A. superconductors
  • D. electronic band structure
  • D. phonons

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