LaPd2Sb2: A pnictide superconductor with CaBe2Ge2 type structure

• LaPd2Sb2, a new superconductor with CaBe2Ge2 type structure is reported.
• LaPd2Sb2 is a type-II bulk superconductor below 1.4 K.
• The DOS indicates maximum contribution to the Fermi level is from Pd 4d states.
• LaPd2Sb2 is the first known superconductor in the APd2Sb2 (A = Sr,Ba,RE) system.

Superconducting properties of LaPd2Sb2 with the CaBe2Ge2 type structure are reported. The DC magnetization and resistivity measurements reveal the compound is a type-II bulk superconductor below 1.4 K. The electronic specific heat coefficient γ is found to be 6.89 mJ K−2 mol−1. The specific heat jump at the superconducting transition is consistent with BCS weak coupling. Relatively low values of the calculated electron–phonon coupling coefficient (λph = 0.496) and γ are in agreement with the low Tc observed in LaPd2Sb2. The calculated partial density of states indicates that the maximum contribution to the Fermi level comes from the Pd 4d states.