Superconductivity in boron carbide? Clarification by low-temperature MIR/FIR spectra.

The electronic structure and phonon density of B(13)B(2) boron carbide calculated by Calandra et al (2004 Phys. Rev. B 69 224505) defines this compound as metallic, and the authors predict superconductivity with T(C)s up to 36.7 K. Their results are affected by the same deficiencies as former band structure calculations on boron carbides based on hypothetical crystal structures deviating significantly from the real ones. We present optical mid IR/far IR (MIR/FIR) spectra of boron carbide with compositions between B(4.3)C and B(10.37)C, evidencing semiconducting behaviour at least down to 30 K. There is no indication of superconductivity. The spectra yield new information on numerous localized gap states close to the valence band edge.