2023/08/11 by P. Puphal, M. Y. P. Akbar, M. Hepting +4 · 1 voice
Physics and Astronomy · #cond-mat.supr-con
paper · pdf · doi:10.1063/5.0172755
arxiv published 2023/08/11 · arxiv updated 2023/08/23
The recent claim of superconductivity above room temperature in Pb10-xCux(PO4)6O with 0.9 < x < 1 (referred to as LK-99) has sparked considerable interest. To minimize the influence of structural defects and impurity phases on the physical properties, we have synthesized phase-pure single crystals with x ∼ 1. We find that the crystals are highly insulating and optically transparent. X-ray analysis reveals an uneven distribution of the substituted Cu throughout the sample. Temperature (T) dependent magnetization measurements for 2 ≤ T ≤ 800 K reveal the diamagnetic response characteristic of a non-magnetic insulator, as well as a small ferromagnetic component, possibly originating from frustrated exchange interactions in Cu-rich clusters in the Pb10-xCux(PO4)6O structure. No anomalies indicative of phase transitions are observed. We therefore rule out the presence of superconductivity in Pb9Cu(PO4)6O crystals, and provide some considerations on the origin of anomalies previously reported in experiments on polycrystalline specimen.