Pressure-dependent structural and electronic instabilities in LaSb$_2$

LaSb _2 2 exhibits a large, non-saturating, linear magnetoresistance at low temperatures, defying the expectations of Fermi liquid theory. This is thought to be caused by charge density wave order emerging below an abrupt, hysteretic anomaly in resistivity \sim display="inline">∼ 355 K. We find that, under hydrostatic pressure, this becomes much more pronounced, develops strong hysteresis, and shifts rapidly towards lower temperatures. The fully suppressed only 6 kbar. Moreover, we observe second transition temperature, which likewise disappears pressure. These findings are discussed context structural recently discovered sister material CeSb functional theory calculations, indicate that SmSb -type structure adopted ambient conditions unstable moderate applied pressures.