New ternary phosphide superconductors with the ThCr2Si2 parent structure

Compounds with the ThCr2Si2 structure have been studied extensively for over 20 years for their interesting magnetic, superconducting, and heavy fermion properties. We have grown single crystals of new ternary phosphides in this structure in the form of AX2P2, with A being an Alkaline Earth Metal and X a transition metal. We have characterized the properties of these new materials with X-ray, heat capacity, resistivity, and susceptibility measurements and have discovered new superconductors.