Topological motifs governing superconductivity in pressure-stabilized Ti-Al intermetallics
Phys. Rev. B 114, 134501 – Published 1 September, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/frhh-xd6p
Abstract
Record-high critical temperatures () of elemental superconductors have been rapidly updated under extreme pressures, yet typically only above the megabar regime. Preserving such high at lower pressures remains a fundamental challenge. Here, we demonstrate that strategic alloying of Ti with controlled amounts of Al yields a family of Ti-Al intermetallics with ω-Ti-derived topological motifs that can be quenched to ambient pressure with substantially higher . In particular, reaches an ambient-pressure of 12.6 K, more than 30 times that of pure Ti. This enhancement originates from motif-preserving substitution: at low Al content, Al acts like hole doping, shifting the Fermi level toward a high density-of-states region, whereas at higher Al content, the weakened interlayer Ti-Ti metallic bonding drives significant softening of three in-plane Ti phonon modes, leading to enhanced electron-phonon coupling. This substitution strategy, which retains a key structural framework while tuning carrier concentration and lattice dynamics, may provide a transferable design paradigm not only for superconductors but also for other functional materials whose properties are governed by specific topological motifs.