Superconductivity of ternary silicide with the AlB(2)-type structure Sr(Ga(0.37),Si(0.63))(2)

Phys Rev Lett. 2001 Aug 13;87(7):077003. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.87.077003. Epub 2001 Jul 27.

Abstract

A ternary silicide Sr(Ga(0.37),Si(0.63))(2) was synthesized by a floating zone method. Electron diffraction and powder x-ray diffraction measurements indicate that the silicide has the AlB(2)-type structure with the lattice constants of a = 4.1427(6) A and c = 4.7998(9) A, where Si and Ga atoms are arranged in a chemically disordered honeycomb lattice and Sr atoms are inercalated between them. The silicide is isostructural with the high-temperature superconductor MgB(2) reported recently. Electrical resistivity and dc magnetization measurements revealed that it is a type-II superconductor with onset temperature of 3.5 K.