Abstract
We present the synthesis and the physical properties of new ternary molybdenum chalcogenides that cannot be made by the usual high-temperature techniques (except for In). These materials were obtained by diffusion of the ternary element into the binary phase at a relatively low temperature (430°C and 520°C for the sulfides and selenides, respectively). They crystallize in the rhombohedral space group () with ( Å, ) when and and with ( Å, ) and ( Å, ) when and and Se, respectively. T1 presents a large temperature-dependent paramagnetism and begins superconducting at 12.2 K, the highest value ever observed in the selenide Chevrel phases, while that of T1 is lower, 8.7 K. The susceptibility of In reveals the existence of two first-order transitions that have considerable hysteresis, while only one transition without hysteresis is observed for In. The absence of superconductivity down to 1.5 K has been confirmed for this last compound, while the homolog selenide begins superconducting at 8.2 K.
- Received 27 June 1983
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.29.172
©1984 American Physical Society