Lattice parameter and Tc dependence of sintered MgB2 superconductor on hydrostatic pressure -: art. no. 132509

Hydrostatic pressure up to 10 GPa has been applied to determine the lattice compressibility and the dependence of transition temperature T-c of an MgB2 superconducting material that shows a very narrow transition range when prepared by high-pressure sintering. The transition temperature T-c decreases with increasing pressure at a rate of 1.03 K/GPa. The material has a bulk modulus 172 GPa and the unit cell of the MgB2 crystals shows an anisotropic compressibility with its c axis appearing more compressible than the alb axis. The experimental results are discussed within the framework of the BCS theory, which gives rise to estimates in good agreement with the experimental results.