Abstract

Topological nodal-line semimetals (TNLSMs) are materials whose conduction and valence bands cross each other, meeting a topologically protected closed loop rather than discrete points in the Brillouin zone (BZ). The anticipated properties for TNLSMs, include drumhead-like nearly flat surface states, unique Landau energy levels, special collective modes, long-range Coulomb interactions, or the possibility of realizing high-temperature superconductivity. Recently, SrAs3 has been theoretically proposed and then experimentally confirmed to be a TNLSM. Here, we report high-pressure experiments on SrAs3, identifying a Lifshitz transition below 1 GPa and a superconducting transition accompanied by a structural phase transition above 20 GPa. A topological crystalline insulator (TCI) state is revealed by means of density functional theory (DFT) calculations on the emergent high-pressure phase. As the counterpart of topological insulators, TCIs possess metallic boundary states protected by crystal symmetry, rather than time reversal. In consideration of topological surface states (TSSs) and helical spin texture observed in the high-pressure state of SrAs3, the superconducting state may be induced in the surface states, and is most likely topologically nontrivial, making pressurized SrAs3 a strong candidate for topological superconductor.

Details

Title
Pressure-induced superconductivity and topological phase transitions in the topological nodal-line semimetal SrAs3
Author
Cheng Erjian 1 ; Xia, Wei 2 ; Shi Xianbiao 3 ; Yu Zhenhai 4 ; Wang, Lin 5 ; Yan, Limin 5 ; Peets, Darren C 6   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Zhu Chuchu 1 ; Su, Hao 4 ; Zhang, Yong 7   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Dai Dongzhe 1 ; Wang, Xia 8 ; Zou Zhiqiang 8 ; Yu, Na 8 ; Kou Xufeng 7 ; Yang, Wenge 5   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Zhao, Weiwei 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Guo Yanfeng 4   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Li, Shiyan 9   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Department of Physics, and Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Shanghai, China (GRID:grid.8547.e) (ISNI:0000 0001 0125 2443) 
 ShanghaiTech University, School of Physical Science and Technology, Shanghai, China (GRID:grid.440637.2) (ISNI:0000 0004 4657 8879); Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Shanghai, China (GRID:grid.9227.e) (ISNI:0000000119573309); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China (GRID:grid.410726.6) (ISNI:0000 0004 1797 8419) 
 State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding & Joining and Flexible Printed Electronics Technology Center, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, China (GRID:grid.19373.3f) (ISNI:0000 0001 0193 3564); Key Laboratory of Micro-systems and Micro-structures Manufacturing of Ministry of Education, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China (GRID:grid.19373.3f) (ISNI:0000 0001 0193 3564) 
 ShanghaiTech University, School of Physical Science and Technology, Shanghai, China (GRID:grid.440637.2) (ISNI:0000 0004 4657 8879) 
 Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, Shanghai, China (GRID:grid.410733.2) 
 Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Ningbo, China (GRID:grid.9227.e) (ISNI:0000000119573309) 
 ShanghaiTech University, School of Information Science and Technology, Shanghai, China (GRID:grid.440637.2) (ISNI:0000 0004 4657 8879) 
 ShanghaiTech University, Analytical Instrumentation Center, School of Physical Science and Technology, Shanghai, China (GRID:grid.440637.2) (ISNI:0000 0004 4657 8879) 
 Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Department of Physics, and Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Shanghai, China (GRID:grid.8547.e) (ISNI:0000 0001 0125 2443); Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing, China (GRID:grid.41156.37) (ISNI:0000 0001 2314 964X) 
Publication year
2020
Publication date
2020
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
23974648
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2413787984
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2020. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.