Pressure‐Induced Superconductivity and Structure Phase Transition in SnAs‐Based Zintl Compound SrSn2As2

• DOI: 10.1002/apxr.202300149
• Publication Date: 2024-03-03T21:23:56Z
• Authors: Weizheng Cao; Juefei Wu; Yongkai Li; Cuiying Pei; Qi Wang; Yi Zhao; Changhua Li; Shihao Zhu; Mingxin Zhang; Lili Zhang; Yulin Chen; Zhiwei Wang; Yanpeng Qi
• Keywords: Zintl materials; superconductivity; Physics; QC1-999; structure phase transition; high‐pressure

AbstractLayered SnAs‐based Zintl compounds exhibit a distinctive electronic structure, igniting extensive research efforts in areas of superconductivity, topological insulators, and quantum magnetism. In this paper, the crystal structures and electronic properties of the Zintl compound SrSn2As2 upon compression are systematically investigated. Pressure‐induced superconductivity is observed in SrSn2As2 with a nonmonotonic evolution of superconducting transition temperature Tc. Theoretical calculations together with high‐pressure synchrotron X‐ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy have identified that SrSn2As2 undergoes a structural transformation from a rhombohedral Rm phase to the monoclinic C2/m phase. Beyond 28.3 GPa, Tc is suppressed due to a reduction of the density of state (DOS) at the Fermi level. The discovery of pressure‐induced superconductivity, accompanied by structural transitions in SrSn2As2, greatly expands the physical properties of layered SnAs‐based compounds and provides new ground states upon compression.