Evolution of Superconducting-Transition Temperature with Superfluid Density and Conductivity in Pressurized Cuprate Superconductors

What factors fundamentally determine the value of superconducting transition temperature Tc in high temperature superconductors has been the subject of intense debate.Following the establishment of an empirical law known as Homes'law,there is a growing consensus in the community that the Tc value of the cuprate superconductors is closely linked to the superfluid density(ρ_(s))of its ground state and the conductivity(σ)of its normal state.However,all the data supporting this empirical law(ρ_(s)=AσT_(c))have been obtained from the ambientpressure superconductors.In this study,we present the first high-pressure results about the connection of the quantities of ρ_(s) and σ with T_(c),through the studies on the Bi_(1.74)Pb_(0.38)Sr_(1.88)CuO_(6+δ)and Bi_(2)Sr_(2)CaCu_(2)O_(8+δ),in which the value of their high-pressure resistivity(ρ=1/σ)is achieved by adopting our newly established method,while the quantity ofρs is extracted using Homes'law.We highlight that the Tc values are strongly linked to the joint response factors of magnetic field and electric field,i.e.,ρ_(s) and σ,respectively,implying that the physics determining T_(c) is governed by the intrinsic electromagnetic fields of the system.

Topological superconductors with spin-triplet pairings and Majorana Fermi arcs

We construct a three-dimensional topological superconductor Bogoliubov–de Gennes(BdG)Hamiltonian with the normal state being a three-dimensional topological insulator.By introducing inter-orbital spin-triplet pairings term△3,there are topological Majorana nodes in the bulk and they are connected by Majorana Fermi arcs on the surface,similar to the case of Weyl semimetal.Furthermore,by adding an inversion-breaking term to the normal state,momentum-independent pairing terms with different parities can coexist in the Bd G Hamiltonian,which creates more Majorana modes similar to Andreev bound states and a richer phase diagram.

Design of high-temperature superconductors at moderate pressures by alloying AlH3 or GaH3

Since the discovery of hydride superconductors,a significant challenge has been to reduce the pressure required for their stabilization.In this context,we propose that alloying could be an effective strategy to achieve this.We focus on a series of alloyed hydrides with the AMH_(6)composition,which can be made via alloying A15 AH_(3)(A=Al or Ga)with M(M=a group IIIB or IVB metal),and study their behavior under pressure.Seven of them are predicted to maintain the A15-type structure,similar to AH_(3)under pressure,providing a platform for studying the effects of alloying on the stability and superconductivity of AH_(3).Among these,the A15-type phases of AlZrH_(6)and AlHfH_(6)are found to be thermodynamically stable in the pressure ranges of 40–150 and 30–181 GPa,respectively.Furthermore,they remain dynamically stable at even lower pressures,as low as 13 GPa for AlZrH_(6)and 6 GPa for AlHfH_(6).These pressures are significantly lower than that required for stabilizing A15 AlH3.Additionally,the introduction of Zr or Hf increases the electronic density of states at the Fermi level compared with AlH3.This enhancement leads to higher critical temperatures(Tc)of 75 and 76 K for AlZrH_(6)and AlHfH_(6)at 20 and 10 GPa,respectively.In the case of GaMH_(6)alloys,where M represents Sc,Ti,Zr,or Hf,these metals reinforce the stability of the A15-type structure and reduce the lowest thermodynamically stable pressure for GaH_(3) from 160 GPa to 116,95,80,and 85 GPa,respectively.Particularly noteworthy are the A15-type GaMH_(6)alloys,which remain dynamically stable at low pressures of 97,28,5,and 6 GPa,simultaneously exhibiting high Tc of 88,39,70,and 49 K at 100,35,10,and 10 GPa,respectively.Overall,these findings enrich the family of A15-type superconductors and provide insights for the future exploration of high-temperature hydride superconductors that can be stabilized at lower pressures.

Prediction of novel layered indium halide superconductors

We design two new layered indium halide compounds LaOInF_(2)and LaOInCl_(2)by means of first-principles calculations and evolutionary crystal structure prediction.We find both compounds crystallize in a tetragonal structure with P4/nmm space group and have indirect band gaps of 2.58 eV and 3.21 eV,respectively.By substituting O with F,both of them become metallic and superconducting at low temperature.The F-doping leads to strong electron-phonon coupling in the low-energy acoustic phonon modes which is mainly responsible for the induced superconductivity.The total electron-phonon coupling strength are 1.86 and 1.48,while the superconducting transition temperature(T_(c))are about 7.2 K and 6.5 K with 10%and 5%F doping for LaOInF_(2)and LaOInCl_(2),respectively.

High Harmonic Spectroscopy Retrieves Electronic Structure of High-pressure Superconductors

High pressure has revealed surprising physics and creates novel states in condensed matter.Exciting examples include near-roomtemperature superconductivity(T_(c)>200 K)in highlypressured hydrides such as H_(3)S and LaH_(10).

Electronic Structure Investigation of 12442 Iron-Based Superconductors Based on Block-Layer Model

Superconducting transition temperature(Tc),as a crucial parameter,exploring its relationship with various macroscopic and microscopic factors helps to understand the mechanism of high-temperature superconductivity from multiple perspectives,aiding in a multidimensional comprehension of high-temperature superconductivity mechanisms.Drawing inspiration from the block-layer structure models of cuprate superconductors,we computationally investigated the interlayer interaction energies in the 12442-type iron-based superconducting materials AkCa_(2)Fe_(4)As_(4)F_(2)(Ak=K,Rb,Cs)systems based on the block-layer model and explored their relationship with Tc.We observed that an increase in interlayer combinative energy leads to a decrease in Tc,while conversely,a decrease in interlayer combination energy results in an increase in Tc.Further,we found that the contribution of the Fe 3d band structure,especially the 3dz2 orbital,to charge transfer is significant.

Customizing topological phases in the twisted bilayer superconductors with even-parity pairings

We investigate the topological properties of twisted bilayer superconductors with different even-parity pairings in each layer.In the presence of spin-orbit coupling,the Hamiltonian is mapped into an effective odd-parity superconductor.Based on this,we deduce the topological properties by examining the relative configuration between Fermi surface and Dirac pairing node.We show that mixed Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-orbit coupling and anisotropic hopping terms,which break the C_(4)symmetry of the Fermi surface,can induce first-order topological superconductors with non-zero bulk Chern number.This provides a versatile way to control the topological phases of bilayer superconductors by adjusting the twisted angle and chemical potential.We demonstrate our results using a typical twisted angle of 53.13°,at which the translation symmetry is restored and the Chern number and edge state are calculated using the Moir′e momentum.

First-principles study of moderate phonon-mediated pairing in high-pressure monoclinic phase of BiS_(2)-based superconductors

Isotope effect on superconductive transition temperature(T_c)is an essential indicator to examine whether the mechanism of superconductors is conventional.Unconventional isotope effect of BiS_(2)-based superconductors has been previously reported in ambient-pressure tetragonal phase.However,to comprehensively ascertain the nature of superconductivity,the investigation of BiS_(2)-based system in high-pressure structure is highly desirable.In this work,we carried out the first-principles calculations of phonon spectra and superconductivity in high-pressure monoclinic phase of LaO_(0.5)F_(0.5)BiS_(2)with ^(32)S and ^(34)S,and observed that the corresponding isotope coefficient is 0.13≤α≤0.20.This value is much greater than that of BiS_(2)-based superconductors in ambient-pressure phase,but slightly smaller than that of conventional MgB_2.Taking into account the calculated T_(c) lower than experimental results,we finally conclude that the moderate phonon-mediated pairing plays a significant role in forming superconductivity of BiS_(2)-based system in high-pressure phase,moreover,the cooperative multiple paring interactions should also be considered.

Effect of thickness on magnetic properties of single domain GdBCO bulk superconductors

To study the influence of thickness on the magnetic properties of ReBCO(Re = Y, Gd, Sm, Nd, etc.) bulk superconductors, a single domain gadolinium barium copper oxide(GdBCO) bulk superconductor fabricated by the Re + 011 top seeded infiltration growth(Re + 011 TSIG) method was continuously sliced along the bottom to obtain samples of different thickness. The levitation force and attractive force of these samples were tested at 77 K in the zero-field-cooled(ZFC)state. It is found that as the sample thickness decreases, the levitation force decreases gradually whereas the attractive force increases. This is related to the varied ability to resist the penetration of magnetic field occasioned by varying sample thickness, which are deeply revealed by combining with the characteristics of the non-ideal type-II superconductor. Further,the levitation force exhibits a trend of slow initial change followed by rapid change, which may be attributed to the growth of the sample. Measurement of the trapped field shows that a similar distribution of trapped field at the top and bottom surfaces can be achieved by removing some materials from the bottom of the bulk. These results provide a reference for meeting the actual requirements of ReBCO bulks of different thicknesses and greatly contribute to practical designs and applications.

Theory-orientated discovery of high-temperature superconductors in superhydrides stabilized under high pressure

A dream long held by physicists has been to raise the critical temperature(Tc)—the temperature below which the material exhibits no electrical resistance—of a superconductor to room temperature.The most recent excitement in that regard has centered on rare-earth superhydrides,of which LaH10 at 190 GPa has a remarkably high Tc of 260 K.

High-magnetic-field induced charge order in high-T_c cuprate superconductors

In the last few years, charge order and its entanglement with superconductivity are under hot debate in high-Tc community due to the new progress on charge order in high-Tc cuprate superconductors YBa2Cu3O6+x. Here, we will briefly introduce the experimental status of this field and mainly focus on the experimental progress of high-field nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR) study on charge order in YBa2Cu3O6+x. The pioneering high-field NMR work in YBa2Cu3O6+x sets a new stage for studying charge order which has become a ubiquitous phenomenon in high-Tc cuprate superconductors.

Magnetism in Quasi-One-Dimensional A2Cr3As3（A=K,Rb） Superconductors

We predict that the recently discovered quasi-one-dimensional superconductors, A2 Cr3As3 （A=K, Rb）, possess strong frustrated magnetic fluctuations and are nearby a novel in-out co-planar magnetic ground state. The frustrated magnetism is very sensitive to the c-axis lattice constant and can thus be suppressed by increasing pressure. Our results qualitatively explain strong non-Fermi liquid behaviors observed in the normal state of the superconductors as the intertwining between the magnetism and superconductivity can create a large quantum critical region in quasi-one-dimensional systems and also suggest that the materials share similar phase diagrams and superconducting mechanism with other unconventional superconductors, such as cuprates and iron-based superconductors.

Crystal chemistry and structural design of iron-based superconductors

The second class of high-temperature superconductors （HTSCs）, iron-based pnictides and chalcogenides, necessarily contain Fe2X2 （＂X＂ refers to a pnictogen or a chalcogen element） layers, just like the first class of HTSCs which possess the essential CuO2 sheets. So far, dozens of iron-based HTSCs, classified into nine groups, have been discovered. In this article, the crystal-chemistry aspects of the known iron-based superconductors are reviewed and summarized by employing ＂hard and soft acids and bases （HSAB）＂ concept. Based on these understandings, we propose an alternative route to exploring new iron-based superconductors via rational structural design.

Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy study on iron-based superconductors

Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy （ARPES） has played an important role in determining the band structure and the superconducting gap structure of iron-based superconductors. In this paper, from the ARPES perspective, we briefly review the main results from our group in recent years on the iron-based superconductors and their parent compounds, and depict our current understanding on the antiferromagnetism and superconductivity in these materials.

Direct Microwave Synthesis of 11-Type Fe(Te,Se) Polycrystalline Superconductors with Enhanced Critical Current Density

We report a direct microwave synthesis method for the preparation of 11-type high quality Fe(Te,Se) polycrystalline superconductors. The bulk samples are rapidly synthesized under the microwave irradiation during several minutes, with a subsequent annealing process at 400℃. The samples exhibit a nearly single phase of the tetragonal PbO-type crystal structure with minor impurities. Morphology characterization shows high density, tight grain connectivity and large grain sizes around 100 μm with small cavities inside the sample. Resistivity and magnetization measurements both show similar superconducting transitions above 14 K. The magnetic hysteresis measurements display broad and symmetric loops without magnetic background, and a high critical current density J_c about 1.2 × 10~4 A/cm^2 at 2 K and 7 T is estimated by the Bean model. Compared with the solidstate reaction synthesized samples, these superconducting bulks from microwave-assisted synthesis are possibly free of the interstitial Fe due to smaller c-axis, higher T_c in magnetic transitions, better M–H loops without magnetic background and greatly enhanced J_c, and are promising as raw materials for the non-toxic Fe-based superconducting wires for large currents and high field applications.

The role of CALYPSO in the discovery of high-T_c hydrogen-rich superconductors

Hydrogen-rich compounds are promising candidates for high-Tc or even room-temperature superconductors. The search for high-Tc hydrides poses a major experimental challenge because there are many known hydrides and even more unknown hydrides with unusual stoichiometries under high pressure. The combination of crystal structure prediction and first-principles calculations has played an important role in the search for high-Tc hydrides, especially in guiding experimental synthesis. Crystal structure AnaLYsis by Particle Swarm Optimization(CALYPSO) is one of the most efficient methods for predicting stable or metastable structures from the chemical composition alone. This review summarizes the superconducting hydrides predicted using CALYPSO. We focus on two breakthroughs toward room-temperature superconductors initiated by CALYPSO: the prediction of high-Tc superconductivity in compressed hydrogen sulfide and lanthanum hydrides, both of which have been confirmed experimentally and have set new record Tc values. We also address the challenges and outlook in this field.

Common Electronic Features and Electronic Nematicity in Parent Compounds of Iron-Based Superconductors and FeSe/SrTiO_3 Films Revealed by Angle-Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy

We report comprehensive angle-resolved photoemission investigations on the electronic structures and nematicity of the parent compounds of the iron-based superconductors including CeFeAsO, BaFe2As2, NaFeAs, FeSe and undoped FeSe/SrTiO3 films with 1, 2 and 20 layers. While the electronic structure near tile Brillouin zone center F varies dramatically among different materials, the electronic structure near the Brillouin zone corners （M points）, as well as their temperature dependence, are rather similar. The electronic structure near the zone corners is dominated by the electronic nematicity that gives rise to a band splitting of the dxz and dyz bands below the nematie transition temperature. A clear relation is observed between the band splitting magnitude arid the onset temperature of nematicity. Our results may shed light on the origin of nematicity, its effect on the electronic structures, and its relation with superconductivity in the iron-based superconductors.

Combinatorial synthesis and high-throughput characterization of copper-oxide superconductors

Fast synthesis and screening of materials are vital to the advance of materials science and are an essential component of the Materials Genome Initiative. Here we use copper-oxide superconductors as an example to demonstrate the power of integrating combinatorial molecular beam epitaxy synthesis with high-throughput electric transport measurements. Leveraging this method, we have generated a phase diagram with more than 800 compositions in order to unravel the doping dependence of interface superconductivity. In another application of the same method, we have studied the superconductorto-insulator quantum phase transition with unprecedented accuracy in tuning the chemical doping level.

Review of nuclear magnetic resonance studies on iron-based superconductors

The newly discovered iron-based superconductors have triggered renewed enormous research interest in the condensed matter physics community. Nuclear magnetic resonance （NMR） is a low-energy local probe for studying strongly correlated electrons, and particularly important for high-Tc superconductors. In this paper, we review NMR studies on the structural transition, antiferromagnetic order, spin fluctuations, and superconducting properties of several iron-based high-Tc superconductors, including LaFeAsOl_xFx, LaFeAsOl_x, BaFe2As2, Bal_xKxFe2As2, Cao.23Nao.67Fe2As2, BaFe2（Asl_xPx）2, Ba（Fel_xRux）2As2, Ba（Fel_xCox）2As2, Lil＋xFeAs, LiFel_xCoxAs, NaFeAs, NaFel_xCoxAs, KyFe2_xSe2, and （T1,Rb）yFe2_xSe2.

Exploring Majorana zero modes in iron-based superconductors

Majorana zero modes(MZMs) are Majorana-fermion-like quasiparticles existing in crystals or hybrid platforms with topologically non-trivial electronic structures. They obey non-Abelian braiding statistics and are considered promising to realize topological quantum computing. Discovery of MZM in the vortices of the iron-based superconductors(IBSs)has recently fueled the Majorana research in a way which not only removes the material barrier requiring construction of complicated hybrid artificial structures, but also enables observation of pure MZMs under higher temperatures. So far,MZMs have been observed in iron-based superconductors including FeTe_(0.55)Se_(0.45),(Li_(0.84)Fe_(0.16))OHFe Se, Ca KFe_(4)As_(4),and Li Fe As. In this topical review, we present an overview of the recent STM studies on the MZMs in IBSs. We start with the observation of MZMs in the vortices in FeTe_(0.55)Se_(0.45)and discuss the pros and cons of FeTe_(0.55)Se_(0.45) compared with other platforms. We then review the following up discovery of MZMs in vortices of Ca KFe_(4)As_(4), impurity-assisted vortices of Li Fe As, and quantum anomalous vortices in FeTe_(0.55)Se_(0.45), illustrating the pathway of the developments of MZM research in IBSs. Finally, we give perspective on future experimental works in this field.