2026/08/04 by Cuiying Pei, Yasong Wu, Airan Li +14
Physics and Astronomy · #cond-mat.supr-con #cond-mat.mtrl-sci
paper · pdf · doi:10.1021/jacs.6c06354
published as Journal American Chemical Society (2026) 148 (25): 26481-26488 · 18 pages,6 figures
arxiv created 2026/08/04 · arxiv updated 2026/08/05
The intrinsic electronic structures of narrow bandgap thermoelectric (TE) materials serve as a platform for the investigation of coupling effects of quasi-particles under high pressure, enabling the exploration of emerging electronic and phonon transport, superconductivity, and topological transition. Here, we report the discovery of pressure-induced superconductivity in the TE semiconductor Mg3Sb2. Upon the increased pressure, the metallization occurs at 8.7 GPa, followed by a superconducting transition concomitant with a carrier-type crossover from p- to n-type. This phenomenon arises from a pressure-induced structural phase transition from the semiconducting P-3m1 to the metallic C2/m-I phase. The superconducting critical temperature (Tc) exhibits a dome-shaped pressure dependence, peaking at 3.3 K at 12.6 GPa. Combined theoretical calculations, high-pressure Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements reveal an additional structural transition above 20 GPa, yielding a distinct C2/m-II phase. Our findings establish the high-pressure phase diagram of Mg3Sb2, elucidate its pressure-dependent electronic properties, and provide valuable insights for future investigations of TE materials under high pressure.