Superconductivity and Charge Density Waves in the 2-dimensional material BaSbTeS (BSTS).

The interplay between charge density waves (CDWs) and superconductivity in low-dimensional quantum materials gives rise to a rich landscape of competing and coexisting electronic orders, offering valuable insights into the mechanisms behind unconventional superconductivity. In this work, we examine the structural and electronic evolution of BaSbTeS (BSTS), a recently identified two-dimensional material that exhibits CDW order under ambient conditions and up to very high temperatures. Using four-probe electrical resistivity, AC magnetic susceptibility, and x-ray diffraction measurements, we track the gradual suppression of the CDW phase with increasing pressure, which coincides with the emergence of superconductivity beyond a critical pressure threshold. We uncover a pressure-induced superconducting phase with a maximum critical temperature (Tc) of 7.5 K at 13.6 GPa, preceded by a semiconductor-to-metal transition. These findings establish BSTS as a promising platform for studying quantum phase competition and underscore the intricate relationship between CDW order and superconductivity in low-dimensional systems.