Published November 23, 2005 | Version v1
Journal article

Superconductivity of the new skutterudite compound LaxRh4P12 prepared at high pressure

  • 1. Muroran Institute of Technology, 27-1, Mizumoto, Muroran-shi 050-8585 (Japan)
  • 2. Kyosemi Corporation, 385-31, Toiso, Eniwa-shi 061-8568 (Japan)
  • 3. Institute for Solid State Physics, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa-shi 277-8581 (Japan)

Description

A new skutterudite compound LaxRh4P12 has been prepared at around 1100 0C and 4 GPa. This product was characterized by powder x-ray diffraction at ambient pressure. The x-ray diffraction profile of LaxRh4P12 is indexed to the filled skutterudite-type structure. The lattice constant of this sample is 8.0581(5) A. The x value estimated from x-ray diffraction and electron probe microanalysis data is about 0.6. Electrical and magnetic properties of this compound have been studied at low temperatures. LaxRh4P12 showed a superconducting transition at around 17 K. This compound has the highest Tc among metal phosphides. The thermoelectric power of the new compound is negative, S = -47 μV K-1, at room temperature. The new superconducting material LaxRh4P12 is an n-type conductor

Availability note (English)

Available online at http://stacks.iop.org/0953-8984/17/7353/cm5_46_019.pdf or at the Web site for the Journal of Physics. Condensed Matter (ISSN 1361-648X) http://www.iop.org/

Additional details

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Journal of Physics. Condensed Matter
Journal Volume
17
Journal Issue
46
Journal Page Range
p. 7353-7357
ISSN
0953-8984
CODEN
JCOMEL