Superconductivity and Charge Density Wave in ZrTe3−xSex

Charge density wave (CDW), the periodic modulation of the electronic charge density, will open a gap on the Fermi surface that commonly leads to decreased or vanishing conductivity. On the other hand superconductivity, a commonly believed competing order, features a Fermi surface gap that results in infinite conductivity. Here we report that superconductivity emerges upon Se doping in CDW conductor ZrTe 3 when the long range CDW order is gradually suppressed. Superconducting critical temperature T c ( x ) in ZrTe 3− x Se x (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.1) increases up to 4 K plateau for 0.04 ≤ x ≤ 0.07. Further increase in Se content results in diminishing T c and filametary superconductivity. The CDW modes from Raman spectra are observed in x = 0.04 and 0.1 crystals, where signature of ZrTe 3 CDW order in resistivity vanishes. The electronic-scattering for high T c crystals is dominated by local CDW fluctuations at high temperatures, the resistivity is linear up to highest measured T = 300 K and contributes to substantial in-plane anisotropy.