2022/01/10 by Yu Liu, Zhixiang Hu, Xiao Tong +7
Chemistry · Materials Science · Physics and Astronomy · #2D Materials and Applications #Chalcogen #Chemistry #Condensed matter physics #Crystal structure #Crystallography #Doping #Electronic structure #Inorganic Chemistry and Materials #Iron-based superconductors research #Materials science #Metal #Molecule #Physics #Superconductivity #Transition metal #Valence (chemistry) #cond-mat.str-el #van der Waals force
paper · pdf · doi:10.1063/5.0079558
published as Appl. Phys. Lett. 120, 022601 (2022)
openalex publication_date 2022/01/10 · arxiv created 2022/02/27 · arxiv updated 2022/03/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Two-dimensional transition metal trichalcogenides (TMTC's) feature covalently bonded metal-chalcogen layers separated by the van der Waals (vdW) gap. Similar to transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), TMTCs often host charge density waves (CDWs) and superconductivity but unlike TMDCs atomic chains in the crystal structure give rise to quasi one-dimensional (quasi 1D) conduction. ZrTe3 features CDW below T_\textrmCDW = 63 K and filamentary superconductivity below 2 K that can be enhanced by pressure or chemical substitution. Here we report the presence of mixed valent Zr2+ and Zr4+ atoms in ZrTe3 crystals that is reduced by doping in ZrTe3-xSex and Zr1-yHfyTe3. Superconductivity is enhanced via disorder in Te2-Te3 atomic chains that are associated with CDW formation. Hf substitution on Zr atomic site enhances T_\textrmCDW due to unperturbed Te2-Te3 chain periodicity and enhanced electron-phonon coupling. Weak electronic correlations in ZrTe3-xSex are likely governed by the lattice contraction effects.