UC Berkeley

We study the effect of atomic coordination (orbital hybridization) on superconducting properties of boron-doped amorphous carbon. The ratio of threefold coordinated (sp2-hybridized) and fourfold coordinated (sp3-hybridized) atoms in the system is found to have an impact on their electronic, vibrational, and superconducting properties. Our findings show that a high proportion of fourfold coordination in both carbon and boron atoms is important for realizing a high superconducting transition temperature.