Volume 28A, number 10 PHYSICS LETTERS 24 February 1969

the Lindemann melting-point formula, which,
however, is empirically quite satisfactory when
T/SD >> 1. Since the Coulomb solid is probably
a body-centered cubic crystal similar to alkali
metals, we have computed 62 from eq. (2),
using the accurate values oiin(w-2) tabulated
for these metals [6], with the result 62 =
= 0.070 f 0.004. This number, togetheywith
eq. (7), gives
rm = 170 f 10 ,
which is in reasonable agreement with expecta-
tions based on the ‘experimental’ results [ 11.
The reason for the disagreement between this
result and earlier theoretical estimates also
based on the Lindemann rule apparently is sim-
ply due to lack of sufficient accuracy in previous
estimates of u-2; the special sensitivity of u-2
to anisotropies in w(k) near k = 0 can lead to er-
rors of factors of two or three in the approxi-
mate calculations.
I am grateful to K. Bennemann and R. S. Knox
for several helpful discussions. This work was
supported by the National Science Foundation
(USA) under grant GP-8120.
References
(8)
1. S. G. Brush, H. L. Sahlin and E. Teller, J. Chem.
Phys. 45 (1966) 2102.
2. D. Pines. Elementarv excitations in solids (W. A.
Benjamin, Inc., New York) p. 34.
3. R. A. Coldwell-Horsfall and A. A. Maradudin, J.
Math. Phys. 1 (1960) 395.
4. W.J. Carr Jr., Phys. Rev. 122 (1961) 1437.
5. M.H. Cohen and F,Keffer, Phys.. Rev. 99 (1955)
1128.
6. D. L. Martin, Phys. Rev. 139 (1965) A150.

EFFECT OF ANNEALING ON THE SUPERCONDUCTING TRANSITION

TEMPERATURES OF Nb3Al AND Nb3Al-ALLOYS

P. R. SAHM * and T. V. PRUSS

RCA Laboratories, Princeton, N. J. 08540, USA

Received 24 January 1969

Arc melted Nb3Al and alloys in which Al was replaced by As, Ga and GaAs showed optimal Tc’s after an-
nealine between 600 - 7OOoC. Lattice constant measurements suggest this to be the result of improved
stoichiometry.

Stoichiometric Nb3Al is metastable at ordi-
nary temperatures [l]. Its superconducting tran-
sition temperature can be raised by alloying with
Ge, which is believed to increase the stability of
the stoichiometric Cr3Si phase [2] (cubic, A15).
In this note we report results on the effect of
annealing of metastable Nb3Al and Nb3Al alloys
produced by fast cooling of arc melted materials.
Samples were prepared both by normal arc
melting procedures, or by blowing the melt onto
cold copper walls with an argon jet, a procedure
similar to that described by Matthias [3]. X-ray
powder diffraction analysis and optical micros-
copy were used to identify the phases present.
Transition temperature measurements were
made inductively [4) on powdered samples, with
particle sizes between 50~ and 500~. Equal
weights of sample (0.2000 f 0.0002 g) were used
throughout, in order to relate measured changes
in inductance, AL/m, semiquantitatively, to the
volume of the phase of interest [5]. The transition
temperature, Tc, was defined as the linear extra-
polation of the transition curve in the region of
most rapid change. In addition, in table 1, are
given the width of the linear transition, AT, as
well as the maximum temperature at which a
superconducting tail would be observed, TQ.
Samples were successively annealed in argon at
temperatures between 500°C and llOOoC, and Tc
remeasured.
Fig. 1 shows results for various Nb3Al speci-
* Present address: Brown Boveri Research Center.
5400 Baden. Switzerland.

707
Volume 28A, number 10 PHYSICS LETTERS 24 February 1969

Table 1
Structural and superconductive properties of quenched Nb3Al (Sample 7F) as a function of heat treatment *

Estimated amounts T, T AT
cu
Heat of phases present ao of AL/m
treatment (Y-Nb Nb3Al Nb2Al Nb3Al
(mol W) (ii) (OK) (deg)

as quenched 0 100 0 5.1843 17.2 17.9 0.9 589

500 0 98 2 5.186 17.16 17.6 0.86 590
650 18.53 18.9 0.58 605
750 0 95 5 5.186 18.52 18.9 0.32 598
900 0 95 5 5.1864 18.0 18 27 0.5 590

1100 5 85 10 5.1885 16.7 17.1 2.5 490

* Typical annealing- cvcle:

_ 19hrs. in Ar-atmosphere. then quickly cooled by withdrawing from furnace fused silica
tube containing MO-boats with powdered samples.

19,
I I I I I I
alloy (5.181i) as extrapolated from the data of

p-*I
ref. 1. No gross changes in lattice constant or
the amount of other phases occurred between
500 and 9OOoC (table 1) suggesting that the T,
maxima phenomenon is associated with an order-
ing of the partially disordered, metastable,
Nb2Al. The treatment at llOO°C clearly marks
ZIG - L ’ RAPID COOLING the beginning of enhanced diffusional processes,
\ 0 -
0
A OFF- STOICHIOMETRIC \
splitting the regions of metastable Nb3Al-phase
F
(Al- RICH) \ _ into regions OFthe more stable cy-Nb, Nb3A1,
PI?.-
Q 0 NORMAL ARC- MELT L and Nb2Al phases while drastically lowering Tc.
f Additional experiments were performed with
Nb3A11,MX alloys with M standing for Ga, As,
4 I
200
I
400
I
GO0
I
800
I
1000
ANNEALING TEMPERATUREPC)
I
1200
and GaAs (isoelectronic with Ge) and x lying be-
tween 0.05 and 0.30. An optimal Tc was again,
Fig. 1. Transition temperatures of arc melted Nb3Al. observed after annealing between 600 and 700°C.
The correlation of points is such that the highest Tc-
The highest T, (19.2oK) was found for Nb3AlO.g
values in the not annealed state correspond approxima-
tely to the highest in the 1lOOoC annealed condition. (GaAs)O.l. While Ga also increased, As lowered
The large scatter of both is believed due to differences the transition temperatures.
in stoichimetry.

ments. (The data for splat cooled material and

normal arc-melted materials were indistinguish-
able, so that still higher quenching rates would
presumably be required to reproduce the results 1. C. E. Lundin and S. Yamamoto, Trans. Metall. Sot.
AIME 236 (1966) 863.
of Willens and Buehler [6], who were able to 2. B. T. Matthias, T. H. Geballe., L. D. Longinotti, E.
quench in an AZ-bee structure). A reproducible Corenzwit, G. W. Hull, R. II. Willens and T. P. Maita,
increase in Tc of about one degree is seen for Science 156 (1967) 645.
anneals between 600°C and 8OOOC. 3. B.T. Matthias, T. H Geballe, R.H. Willens, E.
A complete record for a typical sample is Corenzwit and G. W. Hull, Phys. Rev. 139 (1965) 1501.
4. J. Cooper, RCA Rev. 25 (1964) 401.
given in table 1. The lattice constant of the P-W
P. R.Sahm, Phys. Letters 26A (1968) 459.
phase increases on annealing, the initial value Z: R. H. Willens and E. Buehler. Trans. Metallurg. Sot.
being closer to that of an ideally stoichiometric AIME 236 (1966) 171.

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