Superconductivity of Ba1 − xKxBiO3 (0.35 < x < 1) Synthesized by the High Pressure and High Temperature Technique

Ba1 − xK x BiO3 (BKBO) samples with 0.35 < x < 1 were synthesized by the high pressure and high temperature technique. XRD analysis showed that the BKBO samples were single phase for the whole range of the potassium doping concentration. The change of superconducting transition temperature, Tc, as well as lattice parameters have been investigated upon doping concentration. As the K doping concentration (x) increases from x = 0.37, Tc decreases from 30.4 K to almost zero at x = 0.74. However, in some BKBO samples without including any barium in the starting composition (x = 1), which is denoted as KBO samples, superconductivity is observed with Tc as high as 9 K with partial substitutions of Bi at the K site. Depending on the synthesis condition of the KBO samples, Tc and lattice parameters were different from sample to sample. Compared with other superconducting bismuthates, the evolution of Tc by potassium doping in the cubic BKBO system is discussed in terms of its electronic band structure.