Single Crystal Growth and Physical Property Characterization of Non-centrosymmetric Superconductor PbTaSe_2

We report on the single crystal growth and superconducting properties of PbTaSe_2 with the non-centrosymmetric crystal structure. By using the chemical vapor transport technique, centimeter-size single crystals are successfully obtained. The measurement of temperature dependence of electrical resistivity \rho(T) in both normal and superconducting states indicates a quasi-two-dimensional electronic state in contrast to that of polycrystalline samples. Specific heat C(T) measurement reveals a bulk superconductivity with T_\rm c\simeq3.75 K and a specific heat jump ratio of 1.42. All these results are in agreement with a moderately electron–phonon coupled, type-II Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer superconductor.