The high-Tc superconducting state of β-(BEDT-TTF)2I3 at atmospheric pressure: bulk superconductivity and metastability

Abstract

The AC susceptibility study of β-(BEDT-TTF)2I3 reveals that the high-Tc metastable superconducting state which can be stabilized at atmospheric pressure after a particular pressure-temperature cycling procedure, exhibits bulk superconductivity resembling very closely that of the high-Tc state, which is stabilized above 1 kbar. Annealing experiments show that the high-Tc state remains stable at low temperature as long as the annealing temperature does not exceed 125 K.