Liangzi Deng1,Clayton Halbert2,Busheng Wang3,Melissa Gooch1,Daniel J. Schulze1,Xin Shi1,Trevor Bontke1,Ting-Wei Kuo1,4,Shaowei Song1,Nilesh Salke2,Russell Hemley2,Eva Zurek3,Hung-Duen Yang4,Zhifeng Ren1,Xiao-Jia Chen1,Ching-Wu Chu1
University of Houston1,University of Illinois Chicago2,University at Buffalo3,National Sun Yet-Sen University4
Liangzi Deng1,Clayton Halbert2,Busheng Wang3,Melissa Gooch1,Daniel J. Schulze1,Xin Shi1,Trevor Bontke1,Ting-Wei Kuo1,4,Shaowei Song1,Nilesh Salke2,Russell Hemley2,Eva Zurek3,Hung-Duen Yang4,Zhifeng Ren1,Xiao-Jia Chen1,Ching-Wu Chu1
University of Houston1,University of Illinois Chicago2,University at Buffalo3,National Sun Yet-Sen University4
Bi<sub>x</sub>Sb<sub>2-x</sub>Te<sub>3</sub><sub> </sub>is a thermoelectric material with a high room-temperature figure of merit, which can be further enhanced through the application of pressure. Recently, we discovered pressure-induced superconductivity up to ~9 K in this system, and the variation in its superconducting transition temperature with pressure indicates possible phase transitions. Systematic X-ray diffraction measurements conducted at room temperature and pressures up to ~50 GPa reveal two distinct structural phase transitions. Our experimental results also suggest possible topological electronic transitions induced by pressure. In addition, our theoretical calculations have helped us verify and shed light on the structural and electronic phase transitions driven by pressure, as well as the underlying mechanisms responsible for the emergence of superconductivity in this system.