Tuning Superconductivity by Isovalent Antimony Substitution in PrFeAs(O,F)

Abstract

We investigate the effects of isovalent Sb substitution at the As site in fluorine-doped PrFeAs1-xSbxO0.7F0.3 (x = 0 to 1.0) through structural, Raman spectroscopy, density functional theory (DFT), transport, magnetotransport, and magnetic measurements. The superconducting transition temperature decreases gradually from ~48 K for the parent compound to ~44 K up to x = 0.3, followed by a rapid suppression at higher Sb concentrations due to increasing disorder and secondary phase formation. Raman spectroscopy and DFT reveal lattice expansion and pronounced softening of pnictogen related vibrational modes upon Sb substitution. Magnetotransport measurements up to 9 T show enhanced upper critical fields and increased vortex activation energy for moderate Sb doping, indicating stronger vortex pinning. However, the critical current density remains low because of poor intergranular connectivity. The results demonstrate a crossover from an electronically tuned superconducting state to a disorder-dominated regime in isovalently substituted iron pnictides.