Superconductivity of Cobalt in Thin Films

Abstract: Due to competing long range ferromagnetic order, the transition metals Fe, Co and Ni are not superconductors at ambient pressure. While superconductivity was observed in a non-magnetic phase of Fe, stabilized under pressure, it is yet to be discovered in Co and Ni under any experimental conditions. Here, we report emergence of superconductivity in the recently discovered high-density nonmagnetic face centered cubic phase in Co thin films below a transition temperature (Tc) of ~5.4 K, as revealed in experiments based on point-contact spectroscopy and resistance, and four-probe measurements of resistance at ambient pressure. We confirm the non-magnetic nature of the dense fcc phase of Co within first-principles density functional theory, and show that its superconductivity below 5 K originates from anomalous softening of zone-boundary phonons and their enhanced coupling with electrons upon biaxial strain.