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Pressure Evolution of Superconducting T<sub>c</sub> in High Entropy Alloys from First-Principles Investigation

ORAL

Abstract

High Entropy Alloy (HEA) superconductors show promise for extreme-environment applications due to the stability and unexplained robust superconductivity gained from their disordered structures. One of the most widely used superconductors in medical imaging and superconducting magnets is NbTi, an alloy which has a high critical field strength, Hc2, but has a low Tc and even lower Tc under pressure. Many HEAs, including those with Nb-Ti components, were found to exhibit higher Tc while maintaining high Hc2 under pressure. A natural question one might ask is where the robust superconducting properties of HEA superconductors originate. Here, we will present first-principles investigation into HEA superconductors from the perspective of the pressure evolution of their electronic structure, phonon spectra, electron-phonon coupling strength, and superconducting Tc based on the Migdal-Eliashberg theory. The simulation results for Nb metal, NbTi alloy, and NbTi HEA will be presented and discussed.

Presenters

  • Adam D. Smith

    University of Alabama at Birmingham

Authors

  • Adam D. Smith

    University of Alabama at Birmingham

  • Yogesh K Vohra

    University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Physics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA

  • Cheng-Chien Chen

    University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA