Superconductivity: Al in the family

In this issue Slusky et al. report on what happens when aluminium replaces boron in the new 39-K superconductor magnesium diboride. The T_c decreases with Al doping to around 10% Al, and superconductivity ceases at 30% Al. Intriguingly, there are clear indications of structural instability associated with the disappearance of superconductivity. As a measure of the excitement caused by the discovery of this new superconductor, it was the subject of an extra session added to this week's meeting of the American Physical Society. (See Nature next week for news of the APS meeting.)

Loss of superconductivity with the addition of Al to MgB₂ and a structural transition in Mg_1-xAl_xB₂
J. S. SLUSKY, N. ROGADO, K. A. REGAN, M. A. HAYWARD, P. KHALIFAH, T. HE, K. INUMARU, S. M. LOUREIRO, M. K. HAAS, H. W. ZANDBERGEN, R. J. CAVA
Nature 410, 343-345 (15 March 2001)
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15 March 2001 table of contents