Observation of a V-Shape Superconductivity Evolution on Tungsten-Intercalated 2H-Type Niobium Diselenide

Abstract

van der Waals-layered niobium diselenide (NbSe 2 ) intercalated by d-electron transition metals is an ideal test bed for the exploration of their diversiform evolution of ground states. These intercalations are mostly viewed as ordered structures aligned with periodicities of their host materials that enable control of the electronic phases via gradually changing of intercalation ratios. Here, we present the structure and superconductivity in tungsten (W)-intercalated 2H-NbSe 2 crystals, which reveals an order to disorder distribution of W atoms with increasing confined intercalating amounts, leading to an approximate V-shape suppression of superconductivity. Aided by density functional theory calculations, we demonstrate that the local magnetic moment around W intercalants induced by the charge redistribution gives rise to the quick superconductivity suppression in 2H-NbSe 2 below a certain dilute amount (W% = 0.06). Simultaneously, W intercalants also induce structural aberration due to aggregation effects and inhibit the generation of an ordered structure in 2H-NbSe 2 , resulting in a recovery of its superconductivity. The alteration of structure and electronic phases in 2H-NbSe 2 via intercalation of nonmagnetic transition metals in the van der Waals gap enables the exploration of combined magnetic quantum criticality, superconductivity, and other related electronic correlations.