The superconducting gap of an ultrathin nickelate defies expectations
Superconductors are materials that carry electrical current with zero resistance below a specific critical temperature. In conventional superconductors, the transition to superconductivity generally occurs at very low temperatures.
The research published in Nature Physics indicates that superconductivity in La₃Ni₂O₇ nickelate occurs at temperatures up to 80 K (-193°C, -316°F) under high pressure. This superconductivity arises from an electron-pairing mechanism distinct from the d-wave pairing found in cuprate superconductors. Unlike conventional superconductors, which enter superconductivity at very low temperatures, unconventional superconductors like La₃Ni₂O₇ could offer practical advantages due to their higher critical temperatures.
However, such materials still require significant cooling. Researchers at multiple Chinese institutions, including Nanjing University and the University of Science and Technology of China, conducted a study to better understand the superconductivity mechanisms in La₃Ni₂O₇ films. By synthesizing high-quality films with minimal imperfections and performing surface-sensitive ARPES measurements, they detected the superconducting gap's emergence.
This study sheds light on the fundamental pairing mechanism in bilayer nickelates, contributing to the broader exploration of unconventional high-temperature superconductivity.
Written by urgent.news from Phys.org's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
