Structural transformation of near-equiatomic V-Ru compounds at high pressure

The structural transformation of near-equiatomic V-Ru compounds has been studied resistively under hydrostatic pressure up to ∼21 kbar. It is found to be suppressed by the application of pressure. The rate of suppression increases as the Ru content approaches the critical concentration for the occurrence of the transformation. A critical pressure of 14 ± 2 kbar is obtained for the stabilization of the cubic phase down to 0 K in a sample containing 46-at.% Ru. The results are interpreted as support for the suggestion that the enhanced superconductivity in this compound system is associated predominantly with the singular feature of its electron energy spectrum.