- Editors' Suggestion
- Letter
Pressure-induced superconductivity, amorphization, and topological phase transitions in the topological semimetal
Phys. Rev. B 111, L140502 – Published 3 April, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.111.L140502
Abstract
The application of pressure to induce superconductivity in topological materials has emerged as an effective approach for discovering potential topological superconductors. In this article we report pressure-induced superconductivity, amorphization, and topological quantum phase transitions in the topological semimetal . Our results demonstrate that undergoes an irreversible amorphous phase transition at approximately 60 GPa, with superconductivity emerging around 34 GPa. Notably, accompanied with the amorphous phase transition, pronounced superconducting fluctuations due to the local formation of Cooper pairs are observed below a characteristic temperature, . Both superconducting transition temperature and increase monotonically with pressure, reaching maximum values of around 9 and 20 K, respectively. Furthermore, first-principles calculations reveal a sequence of pressure-induced topological phase transitions whereby the system evolves from a strong topological semimetal to a weak topological metal, and finally to a trivial state. These findings suggest that serves as an ideal platform for probing the interplay between superconductivity, amorphization, and topological properties under pressure.