Abstract
We show that the quasi-skutterudite superconductor undergoes a structural transition from a simple cubic parent structure, the phase, to a superlattice variant, the phase, which has a lattice parameter twice that of the high temperature phase. We argue that the superlattice distortion is associated with a charge density wave transition of the conduction electron system and demonstrate that the superlattice transition temperature can be suppressed to zero by combining chemical and physical pressure. This enables the first comprehensive investigation of a superlattice quantum phase transition and its interplay with superconductivity in a cubic charge density wave system.
- Received 17 February 2012
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.237008
© 2012 American Physical Society