Synthesis of C6M superconductors using Li-M alloys (M=Ca and Yb): Request for urgent small grant funding

Last year we discovered two new superconductors, C6Yb and C6Ca. These two compounds have transition temperatures of 6.5 and 11.5 kelvin respectively. These transition temperatures are unprecedented in graphite intercalation compounds and has led to renewed activity both experimentally and theoretically. New theoretical work suggests that the elevated temperatures in these superconductors may well derive from an enhancement associated with exciton and or plasmon coupling. This aspect of the project will be at the core of a larger collaborative project.Most important at this stage is the preparation of clean samples of C6Ca and C6Yb. This project is intended to establish a new growth process in the UK and maintain our scientific lead. This is a matter of urgency since a separate group in Nancy (France) have demonstrated that this new growth method leads to single phase C6Ca. To summarise we need funding for 6 months to establish the method of growing pure C6Ca and C6Yb in order to maintain our lead in this field.