Superconducting behavior of the solid solution, Y2Pd1−xPtxGe3

The compound Y2PdGe3 was earlier reported by us to be one of the very few ternary superconducting compounds (Tc = 3 K) belonging to the same structure as that of MgB2. Here we report the results of electrical resistivity, magnetization and heat capacity measurements at low temperatures on the solid solution with a nominal starting composition, Y2Pd1−xPtxGe3, to understand the influence of gradual replacement of Pd by Pt on Tc. The superconducting properties of this solution is distinctly interesting in the sense that the Tc varies monotonically with increasing x in sharp contrast to the non-monotonic variation for other isostructural solid solutions reported recently.