Binary Molybdenum Compounds: Promising Materials for Novel Physics of Superconductivity and Practical Applications

Abstract

This review article summarizes recent progress in low-temperature properties of binary molybdenum-based alloys and intermetallic compounds, focusing mainly on superconductivity characteristics reflecting novel physics as well as possible applications. We present experimental data proving the two-band/two-gap nature of some superconducting compounds. As argued, the binary Mo–Re alloys with rhenium predominance represent an ideal and rare test system where related compounds with different Re/Mo ratios can be either centrosymmetrical or noncentrosymmetrical, leading in the latter case to possible mixed superconducting pairing. It is demonstrated that two MoC phases, namely, α-MoC and γ-MoC phases, are topologically nontrivial in their bulk and surface band structures, while amorphous MoSi and MoGe superconductors are among highly-promising materials for different superconductivity applications. We conclude the review with a brief discussion of new tendencies in computer modelling of the structure and properties of binary compounds, using as an example recently discovered stoichiometric MoBi2 compound, and practical prospects for already known and studied molybdenum-based superconductors.

Keywords

• molybdenum-based compounds
• superconductivity properties
• two-band/two-gap materials
• topologically nontrivial phases
• superconductivity applications