High magnetic fields revive superconductivity in nickelates

Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Los Alamos National Laboratory have discovered that infinite-layer nickelates made of samarium (Sm) can regain their superconducting properties under strong magnetic fields. This phenomenon, called reentrant superconductivity, was previously only seen in materials with low transition temperatures, making them less useful for practical applications.

However, Sm-based nickelates remain superconducting at temperatures up to 40 K, which is far more relevant for real-world use. The scientists attribute this unusual behavior to the Jaccarino–Peter compensation mechanism, where magnetic moments from rare-earth elements like europium cancel out the effect of an external magnetic field, allowing superconductivity to re-emerge.

The findings, published in Nature Communications, suggest that nickelates could support ultrastrong superconducting magnets for research and medical imaging, as well as next-generation quantum devices and high-field sensors. Dr. King Yau Yip, co-first author and research fellow at NUS, notes that the Jaccarino–Peter compensation mechanism marks an important step toward understanding the physics behind nickelate superconductors.

Professor Ariando, from NUS, believes this discovery opens a new frontier for high-field superconducting technologies and hints at the possibility of pushing the concept toward even higher temperatures, potentially leading to more practical superconductors.