Superconductivity in the noncentrosymmetric half-Heusler compound LuPtBi: A candidate for topological superconductivity

Abstract

We report superconductivity in the ternary half-Heusler compound LuPtBi, with ${T}_{c}=1.0$ K and ${H}_{c2}=1.6$ T. The crystal structure of LuPtBi lacks inversion symmetry, hence the material is a noncentrosymmetric superconductor. Magnetotransport data show semimetallic behavior in the normal state, which is evidence for the importance of spin-orbit interaction. The combination of strong spin-orbit coupling and noncentrosymmetric crystal structure make LuPtBi a strong candidate for 3D topological superconductivity.