Enhanced superconductivity with possible re-appearance of charge density wave states in polycrystalline Cu$_{1-x}$Ag$_x$Ir$_2$Te$_4$ alloys

In this study, we determined the effect of doping with the noble metal Ag on Ir$_2$Te$_4$ superconductors. Based on the resistivity, magnetization, and heat capacity, we explored the changes in the superconductivity and charge density wave for Cu$_{1-x}$Ag$_x$Ir$_2$Te$_4$ as a function of isoelectric substitution. We assessed a complete set of competing states from suppressed charge density wave in the low doping region to superconductor in the middle doping region and re-entrant charge density wave in the high doping region, thereby obtaining an electronic phase diagram, where the superconducting dome was near bipartite charge density wave regions with a maximum superconducting temperature Tc of about 2.93 K at an Ag doping level of 12%. The lower H$_{c1}$ and upper H$_{c2}$ critical magnetic fields were determined for some representative samples in the Cu$_{1-x}$Ag$_x$Ir$_2$Te$_4$ series based on magnetization and resistivity measurements, respectively. We showed that H$_{c1}$ decreased whereas H$_{c2}$ increased as the doping content increased. The specific heat anomalies at the superconducting transitions $ΔC_{el}/γT_c$ for representative samples comprising Cu$_{0.92}$Ag$_{0.08}$Ir$_2$Te$_4$, Cu$_{0.88}$Ag$_{0.12}$Ir$_2$Te$_4$, and Cu$_{0.85}$Ag$_{0.15}$Ir$_2$Te$_4$ were approximately 1.40, 1.44, and 1.42, respectively, which are all near the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer value of 1.43 and they indicate bulk superconductivity in these compounds.

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