Pressure–Temperature Phase Diagram and Superconductivity in UIr

Abstract

Pressure-induced superconductivity is found in UIr without inversion symmetry. The pressure–temperature phase diagram has been investigated by means of the electrical resistivity, ac-susceptibility and magnetization measurements under high pressure. The phase diagram consists of three magnetic phases FM1–3 and a superconducting phase. The huge enhancement of residual resistivity and the negative magnetoresistance are found in the intermediate pressure region. These behavior may be induced by the pressure-induced structural phase transition and the accompanied phase separation in this pressure range. The superconducting phase with narrow pressure range is embedded in the FM3 phase, adjacent to zero-temperature FM3-to-nonmagnetic transition. The temperature dependence of resistivity above T_SC follows non-Fermi liquid form of T^1.6. From these experimental facts, superconductivity is considered to be associated with the ferromagnetic fluctuation.