Topological RPdBi Half-Heusler Semimetals: a New Family of Non-Centrosymmetric Magnetic SuperconductorS

Published

June 5, 2015

Author(s)

Yasuyuki Nakajima, Rongwei Hu, Kevin Kirshenbaum, Alex Hughes, Paul Syers, Xiangfeng Wang, Kenfeng Wang, Renxiong Wang, Shanta R. Saha, Daniel K. Pratt, Jeffrey W. Lynn, Johnpierre Paglione

Abstract

We report superconductivity and magnetism in a new family of topological semimetals, the ternary half Heusler compounds RPdBi (R: rare earth). In this series, tuning of the rare earth f-electron component allows for simultaneous control of both lattice density via lanthanide contraction, as well as the strength of magnetic interaction via de Gennes scaling, allowing for a unique tuning of both the normal state band inversion strength, superconducting pairing and magnetically ordered ground states. Antiferromagnetism with ordering vector (0.5,0.5,0.5) occurs below a Neel temperature that scales with de Gennes factor dG, while a superconducting transition is simultaneously linearly suppressed. With superconductivity appearing in a system with non-centrosymmetric crystallographic symmetry, the possibility of spin-triplet Cooper pairing with non-trivial topology analogous to that predicted for the normal state electronic structure provides a unique and rich opportunity to realize both predicted and new exotic excitations in topological material.

Citation

Science Advances

Volume

1

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

Antiferromagnetic Order, Neutron Diffraction, Superconductivity, Spin-triplet pairing, Topological System, Half-Heusler (rare-earth)PdBi

Citation

Nakajima, Y. , Hu, R. , Kirshenbaum, K. , Hughes, A. , Syers, P. , Wang, X. , Wang, K. , Wang, R. , Saha, S. , Pratt, D. , Lynn, J. and Paglione, J. (2015), Topological RPdBi Half-Heusler Semimetals: a New Family of Non-Centrosymmetric Magnetic SuperconductorS, Science Advances, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=917914 (Accessed October 12, 2025)