Superconductivity in hole-doped Pr_{1-x}Sr_xFeAsO

  • 6 October 2008
Abstract
Superconductivity was achieved in PrFeAsO by partially substituting Pr^{3+} with Sr^{2+}. The electrical transport properties and structure of this new superconductor Pr_{1-x}Sr_xFeAsO at different doping levels (x = 0.05 \sim 0.25) were investigated systematically. It was found that the lattice constants (a-axis and c-axis) increase monotonously with Sr or hole concentration. The superconducting transition temperature at about 16.3 K (95% \rho_n) was bserved around the doping level of 0.20 \sim 0.25. A detailed investigation was carried out in the sample with doping level of x = 0.25. The domination of hole-like charge carriers in this material is confirmed by Hall effect measurements. The upper critical magnetic field of the sample with T_c = 16.3 K (x = 0.25) was estimated to be beyond 45 Tesla. Our results suggest that the hole doped samples may have higher upper critical fields comparing to the electron doped ones, due to the higher quasi-particle density of states at the Fermi level.