Pressure quench increases superconducting transition temperature

New protocol could lead to ambient-pressure room-temperature superconductivity The post Pressure quench increases superconducting transition temperature appeared first on Physics World .

6 April 2026 at 07:11 pm

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Pressure quench increases superconducting transition temperature

Researchers at the University of Houston have made a significant breakthrough in the quest for room-temperature superconductivity by employing a novel pressure quenching technique. This method has resulted in a record-high superconducting transition temperature (Tc) of 151 K at ambient pressure in a metastable phase of HgBa2Ca2Cu3O8+δ (HBCCO). The metastable phase remains stable for at least three days when maintained at 77 K, though its Tc degrades when heated above 200 K.

Achieving ambient-pressure room-temperature superconductivity is a long-standing goal in the field of superconductivity. Such superconductors could revolutionize various applications, including enhancing the efficiency of electrical power generation and transmission through lossless electricity, as well as simplifying technologies like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that rely on magnetic field generation or detection.

While significant progress has been made in recent decades, increasing the Tc of superconductors often requires subjecting materials to extreme pressures, typically using a diamond anvil cell (DAC). For instance, the sulfide material H3S exhibits a Tc of 203 K under a pressure of 150 GPa, and cerium hydrides, CeH9 and CeH10, display high-temperature superconductivity at lower pressures of about 80 GPa with a Tc of around 100 K. HBCCO, a high-temperature superconducting cuprate, has a Tc of 133 K at ambient pressure, which can be increased to 164 K by applying a pressure of 31 GPa.

The new research focuses on a high-pressure-induced metastable superconducting phase in HBCCO. The elevated Tc is believed to stem from the high electron density of states associated with a possible "van Hove singularity" in the two-dimensional CuO2 planes of the material. The team, led by Ching-Wu Chu and Liangzi Deng from the University of Houston, utilized a pressure quenching technique to stabilize this phase and achieve the record-high Tc at ambient pressure.

Although the metastable phase's stability is limited when heated above 200 K, this breakthrough represents a significant step forward in the pursuit of ambient-pressure room-temperature superconductivity. The potential applications of such superconductors could transform various industries and technologies, making this research an exciting development in the field of condensed matter physics.

The University of Houston researchers' innovative approach to pressure quenching offers a promising avenue for further exploration. As the scientific community continues to push the boundaries of superconducting materials, this discovery could pave the way for achieving the elusive room-temperature superconductivity, unlocking a new era of technological advancements.

Source: Physics World

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