Electronic structure of the A15 superconductors Nb 3 Sb and V 3 Si

Superconductors with A15 structure have been studied for decades, with recent research focusing on their potential topological band structures and spin Hall effects. However, direct electronic structure studies are still lacking. Here, we have investigated the electronic structure of Nb₃0.16em0exSb and V₃0.16em0exSi using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. The band structure reveals pronounced three-dimensional features, which are overall consistent with the results of our density-functional theory calculations. Notably, a band renormalization factor of 1.44 is required for V₃0.16em0exSi, whereas no such renormalization is needed for Nb₃0.16em0exSb, indicating stronger correlation effect in V₃0.16em0exSi. Flat bands are present in both samples, located at {-}0.28 eV below the Fermi level in Nb₃0.16em0exSb and nearly touching Fermi level in V₃0.16em0exSi, thereby enhancing the density of states near Fermi level and thus responsible for the higher superconducting critical temperature of V₃0.16em0exSi. Both Nb₃0.16em0exSb and V₃0.16em0exSi feature four- and eightfold degenerate fermions at the R point. Moreover, Nb₃0.16em0exSb is also characterized by a topological invariant of Z₂ = 1, confirming it as a strong topological material, which might be responsible for its nonsaturating magnetoresistance. Our results give fundamental understanding of the electronic structure and band topology of the A15 superconductors, fill the long-standing gap of the experimental electronic structure study of these materials.