Single crystal growth and superconductivity of Mo3Sb7

Single crystals of Mo3Sb7 have been grown front molten antimony in a sealed molybdenum crucible. The crystals were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, electrical resistivity and magnetization measurements. This compound exhibits metallic properties with the electrical resistivity decreasing linearly from a value of 137 muOmega cm at room temperature to 95 muOmega cm at 4.2 K. Superconductivity was found below T-sc = 2.08 K. Magnetization measurements revealed that Mo3Sb7 is a bulk type-II superconductor with critical fields B-c1 similar to 1 mT and B-c2 similar to 0.6 T at 1.72 K. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.