Development and exploration of potential routes of discovery of new superconductors

<p>This thesis summarizes our eorts to develop and explore potential routes for the discovery of new superconductors. The development of viable solutions for sulfur-bearing compounds is presented. It also provides the details of searching for quantum critical points (QCPs) and possible superconductors by suppressing ferromagnetic states via chemical substitution and the application of pressure. The ferromagnetism in La(V<sub>>x<sub>Cr<sub>1-x<sub>)Ge<sub>3<sub> was successfully suppressed</p> <p>by pressure, and, in addition, a potential QCP at ambient pressure was discovered for x=0.16. On the other hand, the La(V<sub>x<sub>Cr<sub>1-x<sub>)Sb<sub>3<sub> series is likely to evolve into new magnetic state with V-substitution with the Cr-based magnetism appearing to be more local-moment like than for the case of LaCrGe<sub>3<sub>. We also performed detailed characterization on BaSn<sub>5<sub> superconductor, giving further understanding of its superconducting state, and on <em>R<em><sub>3<sub>Ni<sub>2-x<sub>Sn<sub>7<sub> and <em>R<em>Ni<sub>1-x<sub>Bi<sub>2y<sub> series putting to rest spurious claims of superconductivity.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

dissertation

Department dc:contributor.department

Department of Physics and Astronomy

Year dc:date.issued

2013

Author dc:creator

• Lin, Xiao

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Paul C. Canfield

Language dc:language.iso

en

DOI

https://doi.org/10.31274/etd-180810-3212

Identifier

archive/lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/13503/

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dr.lib.iastate.edu:20.500.12876/27690