Bulk superconductivity in a Tsai-type 2/1 approximant approaching the quasiperiodic limit
Phys. Rev. B 114, 144506 – Published 11 September, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/mp13-c944
Abstract
The emergence of superconductivity in quasiperiodic systems poses a fundamental question: Can conventional superconductivity survive as translational symmetry is progressively lost toward the quasiperiodic limit? Quasicrystal approximants, which share the same local atomic motifs as quasicrystals while retaining periodicity, provide an ideal platform to address this issue. Here, we report bulk superconductivity in the Tsai-type 2/1 approximant , which possesses a giant cubic unit cell with nearly 730 atoms. Electrical resistivity, magnetic susceptibility, and specific-heat measurements consistently reveal a superconducting transition at . The specific-heat jump ratio indicates weak-coupling superconductivity consistent with a phonon-mediated Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer mechanism. These results demonstrate that conventional superconductivity remains remarkably robust even in a structurally complex giant unit cell approximant approaching the quasiperiodic limit. Our findings establish high-order Tsai-type approximants as an important bridge between conventional periodic and quasiperiodic superconductors and provide a key step toward realizing superconductivity in true quasicrystals, distinct from disorder-driven amorphous systems.