Tuning the flat band with in-plane biaxial strain and the emergence of superconductivity in Ni3Sn

Abstract

We study the electronic band structures and topological properties of nonmagnetic kagome metal Ni3Sn when applying in-plane biaxial strains through first-principles calculations. From these calculations, we confirm that the flat band of Ni3Sn is located at 250 meV below the Fermi level for pristine Ni3Sn, and its position can be raised to the Fermi level by applying a finite in-plane biaxial strain. In this deformation process, we also find that there are two distinct topological phase transitions between trivial and nontrivial topological states at 1.5% and 2.9% strains. Finally, through the calculations of electron-phonon coupling, we examine the possibility of superconductivity mediated by electron-phonon coupling for pristine and strained Ni3Sn structures and confirm theoretically that the 5% biaxial strained Ni3Sn shows superconductivity. Therefore, biaxial strain in kagome metal Ni3Sn triggers the flat band to move toward the Fermi level, thereby inducing nontrivial topology and superconductivity simultaneously.

Source-reported materials — not catalogue approval

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