Insulator-to-Superconductor Transition in Quasi-One-Dimensional HfS₃ under Pressure

Abstract

Various transition-metal trichalcogenides (TMTC) show unique electronic properties, such as metal–insulator transition, topological insulator, and even superconducting transition. Currently, almost all metallic TMTC compounds can show superconductivity either at ambient pressure or at high pressure. However, most TMTC compounds are semiconductors and even insulators. Does superconductivity exist in any non-metallic TMTC compound by artificial manipulation? In this work, the electronic behavior of highly insulating HfS3 has been manipulated in terms of pressure. HfS3 undergoes an insulator-to-semiconductor transition near 17 GPa with a band gap reduction of ∼1 eV. Optical absorption, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction measurements provide consistent results, suggesting the structural origin of the electronic transition. Upon further compression, HfS3 becomes a superconductor without further structural transition. The superconducting transition occurs as early as 50.6 GPa, and the T c reaches 8.1 K at 121 GPa, which sets a new record for TMTCs. This work reveals that all TMTCs may be superconductors and opens a new avenue to explore the abundant emergent phenomena in the TMTC material family.

Single Quasi-1D Chains of Sb2Se3 Encapsulated Within Carbon Nanotubes

“…Beyond the directed growth of 2D vdW crystals along 1D, recent years have seen a growing interest in the creation and rediscovery of crystals that are comprised of 1D or q-1D chains with sub-nanometer cross sections held together by weak vdW interactions. [22][23][24][25][26][27][28] Owing to the one-dimensional nature of these crystals, emergent properties such as higher-order topological states, 2,27,29 Dirac polarons, 30 controllable charge density waves, 26 high-fidelity electron transport, 23 excitonic insulating states, 31 and even unconventional superconductivity 32,33 have been demonstrated. Furthermore, the vdW nature of these families of 1D and q-1D vdW crystals has allowed for the implementation of top-down exfoliation routes previously established for 2D vdW crystals to access ultrathin nanostructures approaching sub-10 nm thicknesses.…”

Single Quasi-1D Chains of Sb2Se3 Encapsulated within Carbon Nanotubes

“…7,9 This new materials paradigm has facilitated not only the realization of exotic physics in engineered multilayers and at the monolayer limit but has also inspired the search toward solid-state structures with even lower dimensionalities 8,10−20 Most recently, there has been a growing interest in the creation and rediscovery of crystals with even lower dimensions and comprising vdW-bound one-dimensional (1D) or quasi-1D (q-1D) chains with subnanometer crosssections. 21−27 Owing to the 1D character of these crystals, emergent properties such as higher-order topological states, 2,26,28 Dirac polarons, 29 controllable charge density waves, 25 high-fidelity electron transport, 22 excitonic insulating states, 30 and even unconventional superconductivity 31,32 have been demonstrated. Furthermore, the vdW nature of these 1D and q-1D vdW crystals has allowed for the implementation of top-down exfoliation routes previously established for 2D vdW crystals to access ultrathin nanostructures approaching sub-10 nm thicknesses.…”

“…Most recently, there has been a growing interest in the creation and rediscovery of crystals with even lower dimensions and comprising vdW-bound one-dimensional (1D) or quasi-1D (q-1D) chains with subnanometer cross-sections. − Owing to the 1D character of these crystals, emergent properties such as higher-order topological states, ,, Dirac polarons, controllable charge density waves, high-fidelity electron transport, excitonic insulating states, and even unconventional superconductivity , have been demonstrated. Furthermore, the vdW nature of these 1D and q-1D vdW crystals has allowed for the implementation of top-down exfoliation routes previously established for 2D vdW crystals to access ultrathin nanostructures approaching sub-10 nm thicknesses. ,− While these strategies have been successful, controlling the size distribution and morphology of the resulting nanostructures remains a challenge and often results in a combination of nanowires, nanoribbons, or nanosheets.…”

Superconductivity in Quasi-One-Dimensional Ferromagnet CrSbSe3 under High Pressure

“…At ambient pressure, CrSbSe 3 exhibits ferromagnetic order with a Curie temperature of ∼71 K, in which Cr 3+ is in the high-spin state with S = 3/2. , Due to its magnetic anisotropy and low intrinsic thermal conductivity resulting from the unique 1D structure, CrSbSe 3 has garnered attention in the fields of magnetocaloric and thermoelectric materials. , For similar quasi-1D insulators, there have been cases capable of undergoing insulator-to-superconductor transition under HP. In the iron-based ladder compounds BaFe 2 S 3 and BaFe 2 Se 3 , at ∼10 GPa, the superconducting transition emerges at 24 and 11 K, respectively. − Quasi-1D HfS 3 undergoes the insulator-to-superconductor transition at 50.6 GPa, and the T c reaches 8.1 K at 121 GPa . Hence, considering CrSbSe 3 as a possible candidate, we conduct comprehensive studies on its electronic properties and structure under HP.…”