Enhanced superconductivity driven by pressure-induced topological and structural transitions in Sn4P3

Abstract

Tuning the electronic states to understand the interplay between superconductivity and topological states is crucial for realizing topological quantum computation. High pressure provides a unique avenue for tuning both superconducting and topological states. Here, we report the pressure tuning of superconductivity and topological band structures in Sn4P3. At ambient pressure, The Shubnikov–de Haas oscillations with nonzero Berry phases have been observed, and low-temperature angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements reveal nontrivial bands across the Fermi level, suggesting the topological character of Sn4P3. More intriguingly, upon applying pressure, two superconducting domes emerge with a maximum Tc of 3.5 and 8.1 K at 5.6 and 42.1 GPa, respectively. High-pressure synchrotron X-Ray diffraction measurements combined with first-principles calculations show that the first dome is associated with a topological transition from topological insulator to topological semimetal, while the second dome is associated with a structural transition form the R3¯m phase to the I4/mmm phase. Our results suggest that Sn4P3 is a promising candidate as a topological superconductor and a platform for studying the interplay between superconductivity and band topology.

Source-reported materials — not catalogue approval

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