Poster:Distortions in Flat-Band Type-II Superconductor ZrV2

Type-II superconductors have long been studied as candidates for where superconductivity arises from spin-fluctuations. [1] ZrV2 is one such candidate for spin-fluctuations giving rise to changes in the superconductive properties.

Using floating zone growth methods we synthesised single crystal samples of ZrV2, a Type-II superconductor with Tc = 8.9K and Hc=14T, in a high pressure floating zone laser furnace. These samples show an electronic transition around 100K and an unusually high RRR of 0.94 that agrees with observations in the literature. [2] However, Our samples do not show a structural distortion seen in the literature in polycrystalline or twinned samples. [3] Our work on single crystal X-Ray diffraction performed at CHESS (Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source) seeks to explain the electronic transition as it correlates to diffuse scattering observed to onset alongside the electronic transition. Continuing work on this flat-band material will be to explore the transition between the distorted superconducting parent compound ZrV2 and non-distorted parent compound HfV2.