September 18, 2008 | Sipos, B., Anna F. Kusmartseva, Ana Akrap, H. Berger, Laszlo Forro, and E. Tutis
This paper reports the discovery of superconductivity in the 1T-TaS₂ material, which is a layered transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD). The study reveals that superconductivity emerges in the low-temperature electronic states of 1T-TaS₂ under pressure, coexisting with a charge density wave (CDW) phase. The superconducting state is observed to persist even as the CDW state disappears under pressure, and is also insensitive to changes in the normal state. This is the first observation of superconductivity in a pristine 1T-TMD compound. The superconductivity is found to develop within a commensurability-driven, Coulombically frustrated electronic phase separation. The material exhibits a complex phase diagram, with multiple electronic states coexisting under different pressures and temperatures. The study shows that the superconducting state arises from the non-metallic low-temperature phase, which evolves from the nearly commensurate CDW state at ambient pressure. The superconductivity is found to be insensitive to the changes in the normal state and the melting of the CDW state. The research highlights the importance of understanding the interplay between different electronic collective states in solids, particularly in low-dimensional systems. The study also demonstrates that pressure is an effective tool for influencing electronic interactions without increasing internal disorder, offering advantages over chemical doping. The findings contribute to the broader understanding of electronic collective phenomena in materials, particularly in the context of superconductivity and charge density waves. The research provides insights into the complex interplay between electronic order and superconductivity in 1T-TaS₂, and highlights the potential of this material for further investigation into electronic collective states.This paper reports the discovery of superconductivity in the 1T-TaS₂ material, which is a layered transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD). The study reveals that superconductivity emerges in the low-temperature electronic states of 1T-TaS₂ under pressure, coexisting with a charge density wave (CDW) phase. The superconducting state is observed to persist even as the CDW state disappears under pressure, and is also insensitive to changes in the normal state. This is the first observation of superconductivity in a pristine 1T-TMD compound. The superconductivity is found to develop within a commensurability-driven, Coulombically frustrated electronic phase separation. The material exhibits a complex phase diagram, with multiple electronic states coexisting under different pressures and temperatures. The study shows that the superconducting state arises from the non-metallic low-temperature phase, which evolves from the nearly commensurate CDW state at ambient pressure. The superconductivity is found to be insensitive to the changes in the normal state and the melting of the CDW state. The research highlights the importance of understanding the interplay between different electronic collective states in solids, particularly in low-dimensional systems. The study also demonstrates that pressure is an effective tool for influencing electronic interactions without increasing internal disorder, offering advantages over chemical doping. The findings contribute to the broader understanding of electronic collective phenomena in materials, particularly in the context of superconductivity and charge density waves. The research provides insights into the complex interplay between electronic order and superconductivity in 1T-TaS₂, and highlights the potential of this material for further investigation into electronic collective states.