Stabilizing -like superconductivity in -derived borocarbides through isovalent metal cosubstitution
Phys. Rev. B 113, 214105 – Published 11 June, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/j33d-y9sq
Abstract
Recent first-principles studies have shown that can reach a higher superconducting transition temperature than its parent material , yet its structural instability hinders experimental realization. Here, through a systematic screening of 594 candidate systems with different metal elements and , we propose a design strategy based on isovalent metal substitution to improve structural stability while maintaining excellent superconducting performance. Using a rapid screening approach based on the zone-center electron-phonon coupling (EPC) descriptor, we screen all possible variants derived from the network. We demonstrate that isovalent metal pairs, such as K-Li, Rb-Li, and Ag-Na, synergistically optimize the interlayer spacing and metal-boron/carbon hybridization to retain strong electron-phonon coupling while hardening low-frequency phonon modes to enhance lattice stability. Representative quaternary systems such as , and are predicted to possess values significantly exceeding that of within the same computational framework, together with enhanced stability. In contrast, aliovalent combinations (e.g., Tc-Ca) can dramatically enhance , but at the expense of stability. These results establish isovalent cosubstitution as a stabilization-enabled route for realizing and optimizing -like superconductivity in borocarbides by improving stability while preserving the well-known B/C σ-band-driven EPC channel.