Pressure-induced a partial disorder and superconductivity in quasi-one-dimensional Weyl semimetal (NbSe4)2I

Abstract A search for the single material system that simultaneously exhibits topological phase and intrinsic superconductivity has been largely limited, although such a system is far more favorable especially for the quantum device applications. Except artificially engineered topological superconductivity in heterostructure systems, another alternative is to have superconductivity arising from the topological materials by pressure or other “clean” technology. Here, based on first-principles calculations, we first show that quasi-one-dimensional compound (NbSe4)2I represents a rare example of a chiral Weyl semimetal in which the set of symmetry-related Weyl points (WPs) exhibit the same chiral charge at a certain energy. The net chiral charge (NCC) of the below Fermi level EF (or a certain energy) can be tuned by pressure. In addition, a partial disorder induced by pressure accompanied with superconductivity emerges. Although amorphization of the iodine sub-lattice under high pressure, the one-dimensional NbSe4 chains in (NbSe4)2I remain intact and provide a superconducting channel in one dimension. Our combined theoretical and experimental research provide critical insight into a new phase of the one-dimensional system, in which distinctive phase transitions and correlated topological states emerge upon compression.