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The mechanism of Niobium-Titanium alloy maintaining superconductivity under ultra-high pressure

The mechanism by which Niobium-Titanium alloys maintain superconductivity under ultra-high pressure is mainly related to their material structure and electronic properties. Here are some key factors:

1. Structural stability
Under extremely high pressure (such as 261.7 GPa), the crystal structure of Niobium-Titanium alloys remains stable without phase change. This stability allows the alloy to withstand large deformations and maintain its superconducting properties1. Studies have shown that under a pressure of 200 GPa, the volume of niobium-titanium alloys was compressed by about 43%, but its crystal structure did not change, showing its high tolerance to volume changes.

2. Electronic properties
As transition metals, Niobium and Titanium have electronic structures that enable Niobium-Titanium alloys to maintain good superconductivity under high pressure conditions. Compared with copper oxide and iron-based superconductors, the superconductivity of niobium-titanium alloys is less sensitive to volume changes, which means that it can maintain a zero resistance state under extreme conditions.

3. Critical current and magnetic field
Under high pressure conditions, the critical magnetic field of Niobium-Titanium alloys is significantly improved. For example, under the conditions of 211 GPa and 1.8K, its critical magnetic field increases from 15.4T to 19T, indicating that superconductivity is enhanced in a high-pressure environment1.

4. Theoretical model
Although the specific microscopic mechanism is still under study, existing theories believe that ultra-high pressure may affect the superconducting transition temperature by changing the interaction between electrons and the lattice vibration mode. The superconducting transition temperature of Niobium-Titanium alloy increases from 9.6K at normal pressure to 19.1K under ultra-high pressure, showing its excellent performance under extreme conditions1. In summary, the mechanism by which niobium-titanium alloy maintains superconductivity under ultra-high pressure involves changes in its structural stability, electronic properties and critical parameters, making it one of the most pressure-resistant superconducting materials known to date.