In search of the origin of superconductivity (SC) in diluted rhenium superconductors and their significantly enhanced T c compared to pure Be (0.026 K), we investigated the intermetallic ReBe 22 compound, mostly by means of muon-spin rotation/relaxation (μSR). At a macroscopic level, its bulk SC (with T c =9.4 K) was studied via electrical resistivity, magnetization, and heat-capacity measurements. The superfluid density, as determined from transverse-field μSR and electronic specific-heat measurements, suggest that ReBe 22 is a fully-gapped superconductor with some multigap features. The larger gap value, D = 1.78 l 0 T k B c , with a weight of almost 90%, is slightly higher than that expected from the BCS theory in the weak-coupling case. The multigap feature, rather unusual for an almost elemental superconductor, is further supported by the field-dependent specific-heat coefficient, the temperature dependence of the upper critical field, as well as by electronic bandstructure calculations. The absence of spontaneous magnetic fields below T c , as determined from zero-field μSR measurements, indicates a preserved time-reversal symmetry in the superconducting state of ReBe 22 . In general, we find that a dramatic increase in the density of states at the Fermi level and an increase in the electron-phonon coupling strength, both contribute to the highly enhanced T c value of ReBe 22 .

We present a detailed investigation of the physical properties of Ce2Sb and Ce2Bi single crystals, which undergo antiferromagnetic transitions at around 8.2 and 10 K respectively. When magnetic fields are applied parallel to the c axis, metamagnetic transitions are observed at low temperatures, corresponding to a magnetic field-induced phase transition. It is found that the field-induced transition changes from second-order at higher temperatures, to first-order at low temperatures, suggesting the existence of tricritical points (TCPs) in both compounds. Since replacing Bi with Sb suppresses the TCP to lower temperatures and corresponds to a positive chemical pressure, these results suggest that applying pressure to Ce2Sb may suppress the TCP to lower temperatures, potentially to zero temperature at a quantum tricritical point.