Pressure-Induced Superconductivity in the Thermoelectric Semiconductor Mg 3 Sb 2

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Abstract
The intrinsic electronic structures of narrow bandgap thermoelectric (TE) materials serve as a platform for the investigation of coupling effects of quasi-particles under high pressure, enabling the exploration of emerging electronic and phonon transport, superconductivity, and topological transitions. Here, we report the discovery of pressure-induced superconductivity in the TE semiconductor Mg3Sb2. Upon increased pressure, metallization occurs at ∼8.7 GPa, followed by a superconducting transition concomitant with a carrier-type crossover from p- to n-type. This phenomenon arises from a pressure-induced structural phase transition from the semiconducting P3̅m1 to the metallic C2/m-I phase. The superconducting critical temperature (Tc) exhibits a dome-shaped pressure dependence, peaking at 3.3 K at 12.6 GPa. Combined theoretical calculations, high-pressure Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements reveal an additional structural transition above ∼20 GPa, yielding a distinct C2/m-II phase. Our findings establish the high-pressure phase diagram of Mg3Sb2, elucidate its pressure-dependent electronic properties, and provide valuable insights for future investigations of TE materials under high pressure.
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Funding Information
  • National Key Research and Development Program of China (2024YFF0505900)

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