Niobium nitride is technologically significant for its remarkable mechanical, electronic, magnetic, and superconducting properties, but its cubic δ phase is traditionally thought to require vacancies for stabilization. Here, the authors reveal that quantum anharmonic effects stabilize a vacancy-free cubic phase, suggesting a route for enhanced superconducting performance of this material via the potential synthesis of the ideal 1:1 stoichiometric phase.
- Eva Kogler
- Mihir R. Sahoo
- Christoph Heil
