An ab Initio Answer to Long-Debated Questions about Superconducting Nb3Sn
Alessio Cucciari, Lilia Boeri
DOI 10.1103/dmwh-1sbf · PRX Energy
Active bibliographic source — not scientific approval
Bibliographic access preserves source history; it does not approve extracted materials or validate reported claims. Review warnings on each occurrence separately.
Abstract
Nb3Sn is the workhorse superconductor for high-field applications; however, several fundamental aspects remain open 70 years after its discovery. Using anharmonic ab initio Migdal-Eliashberg theory, we resolve three key questions: (1) the cubic-to-tetragonal martensitic transition is weakly first order; (2) the superconducting gap is strongly anisotropic but continuous over the Fermi surface; and (3) the drop of Hc2 across the transition arises from both reduced electron-phonon coupling and a redistribution of Fermi velocities. The orbital origin of the gap anisotropy suggests targeted doping strategies: Sn-site substitution can increase both Tc and Hc2, while Nb-site substitution raises Hc2 at the cost of lowering Tc.
Source-reported materials — not catalogue approval
| Formula | Reported Tc (K) | Pressure (GPa) | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nb3Sn Archive — visibility unverified Source-occurrence policy only; no material identity or catalogue acceptance is inferred from the formula. | 18.3 | Pressure not reported | unknown |
| Nb3Sn Archive — visibility unverified Source-occurrence policy only; no material identity or catalogue acceptance is inferred from the formula. | — | Pressure not reported | unknown |
Similar papers
Ab initio calculations of superconducting transition temperatures: When going beyond RPA is essential
similarity 0.97Camilla Pellegrini et al.
Source status unknown — claims are unverified
Effect of the density of states at the Fermi level on defect free energies and superconductivity: A case study of Nb3Sn
similarity 0.97Nathan S. Sitaraman et al.
Source status unknown — claims are unverified
Nonconstant electronic density of states tunneling inversion for A15 superconductors: Nb3Sn
similarity 0.96J. K. Freericks et al.
Source status unknown — claims are unverified
Superconductivity in A15 compounds under nonhydrostatic stress
similarity 0.96S. B. Ota
Source status unknown — claims are unverified
Evolution of T2 resistivity and superconductivity in Nb3Sn under pressure
similarity 0.96Z. Ren et al.
Source status unknown — claims are unverified
Origin of the magnetization peak effect in the Nb3Sn superconductor
similarity 0.95R. Lortz et al.
Source status unknown — claims are unverified