Physical properties and superconductivity of skutterudite-related Yb3Co4.3Sn12.7 and Yb3Co4Ge13

Rietveld analysis was performed for the intermetallics Yb3Co4.3Sn12.7 and Yb3Co4Ge13 crystallizing with the closely related structure types, Yb3Rh4Sn13 and Yb3Co4Ge13. Below Tc = 3.4 K Yb3Co4.3Sn12.7 crosses over into a type-II superconducting ground state with Hc2(0)~2.5 T. Yb3Co4Ge13 stays in the normal state down to 300 mK. The γ value of 2.3(2) mJ gat-1 K-2 and the Debye temperature ΘD = 207(5) K deduced from the specific heat as well as Tc correspond to that of elementary Sn, thus indicating conventional BCS superconductivity. Hydrostatic pressure applied to Yb3Co4.3Sn12.7 reveals both an overall decrease of the absolute resistivity values, as well as a decrease of Tc, which vanishes for a critical pressure below 10 kbar. The magnetoresistance of both Yb-based compounds is positive at low temperature but does not exceed 8% in fields of 12 T. The Seebeck coefficient has a maximum value of about 18 µV K-1 at T~250 K. LIII and magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal intermediate valence: 2.66(3) and 2.18(3) for Yb3Co4Ge13 and Yb3Co4.3Sn12.7, respectively.

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