Significant impact of quantum and anharmonic effects on the structural stability and superconductivity of at high pressures
Phys. Rev. B 112, 104110 – Published 29 September, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/4dj9-v9dq
Abstract
First-principles calculations combined with the stochastic self-consistent harmonic approximation reveal significant effects of the quantum ionic fluctuations and lattice anharmonicity on the structural stability and superconducting properties of under high pressure. Previous theoretical predictions, which ignored ionic fluctuations and relied on the harmonic approximation, predicted the phase as the ground state between 33 and 400 GPa, with the phase considered thermodynamically metastable. Harmonic calculations also placed the minimum pressure for dynamical stability of the phase as high as 290 GPa. However, recent experiments identified the phase at 187 GPa. Contrasting these predictions, our study reveals that the phase remains dynamically stable down to at least 145 GPa—approximately 145 GPa lower than harmonic estimates. Furthermore, while the phase is dynamically stable, it exhibits higher enthalpy than the phase at 187 GPa, aligning with the experimental observations. We systematically investigate the structural, vibrational, and superconducting properties of the under pressures ranging from 100 to 300 GPa, uncovering substantial modifications induced by the quantum and anharmonic effects. The calculated superconducting critical temperature () from the McMillan equation (with ) for at 187 GPa is 44 K, close to the measured value. These findings highlight the crucial role of quantum anharmonic effects in shaping the structural and vibrational properties of at high pressures.