Experimental Evidence for Type-I Superconductivity in $\mathrm{OsB_2}$

Abstract

Since the discovery of superconductivity in $\mathrm{MgB_2}$, metal diborides have attracted significant attention. Among these, osmium diboride ($\mathrm{OsB_2}$), crystallizing in an orthorhombic structure (space group $Pmmn$) with puckered boron layers, has been classified as a low-$κ$ Type-II superconductor ($T_c \approx 2.1~\mathrm{K}$). Here, we report experimental evidence establishing that $\mathrm{OsB_2}$ is in fact a rare nonelemental Type-I superconductor. Our identification is supported by three primary experimental hallmarks: (i) a pronounced Differential Paramagnetic Effect (DPE) peak in AC susceptibility ($χ_{ac}$) measurements under static DC magnetic fields, signaling the intermediate state; (ii) a field-induced crossover to a divergent first-order phase transition in specific heat ($C/T$); and (iii) pronounced magnetic hysteresis in field-ramped transitions indicative of supercooling.