10B–11B isotope substitution and superconductivity in ZrB12

Abstract

The specific heat of the ZrB12 compound in the normal and superconducting states (T C ≈ 6 K) has been studied in the 1.9–7 K temperature range for high-quality single crystals with different relative contents of boron isotopes. For Zr10B12, ZrnatB12, and Zr11B12 dodecaborides, the electron density of states and the electronphonon coupling constant, λe-ph ∼ 0.4, are found. The dependence of the thermodynamic and upper critical fields, as well as of the Ginzburg-Landau parameter (κ = 0.8–1.14) on temperature and isotope composition is determined. The results suggest the existence of the magnetic field induced phase transition at T* = 4–5 K, which is not related to the transition from type-I to type-II superconductivity. The possibilities of the existence of two-gap superconductivity and a structural phase transition at T* in zirconium dodecaboride are discussed.