Superconductivity in bulk A15 Nb3Si under pressure

We have determined the effect of hydrostatic pressureP on the superconducting transition temperatureT _c of bulk, A15 Nb₃Si. For 0P20 kbar (2 GPa),T _c decrease linearly with increasing pressure at a rate T _c/P=–2.67×10^–5 K/bar. From an estimate of T _c/P obtained using recent band structure calculations for the density-of-electronic-states change as a function of lattice parameter in Nb₃Si, we conclude that the pressure dependence of the electron-phonon interaction primarily determines T _c/P.Work performed under the auspices of the U.S. DOE.