Chinese scientists discover new high-temperature superconductor

SHANGHAI, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientists have discovered a new high-temperature superconductor with a superconducting volume fraction of 86 percent.

The team, led by professor Zhao Jun at Fudan University's Department of Physics, has published its findings in the international academic journal Nature.

Superconductors are materials that exhibit zero electrical resistance and complete diamagnetism under specific temperature conditions. They have broad applications in areas such as power transmission and storage, medical imaging, magnetic levitation trains, and quantum computing.

The discovery of high-temperature superconductivity in the 1980s shattered the previous belief that superconductivity could only exist at extremely low temperatures.

Zhao said that an important task for research in the area is the discovery of new high-temperature superconductors, which can provide insight into the mechanisms of high-temperature superconductivity and open new application prospects.

Zhao's team successfully synthesized high-quality, trilayer nickelate single crystal samples with a superconducting volume fraction close to that of cuprate high-temperature superconductors, providing strong proof of the bulk superconducting properties of nickelates.

Zhao noted that the conditions required to synthesize nickelate single crystal samples are extremely stringent, requiring a specific high oxygen pressure environment with a high temperature and sharp temperature gradient.

Through repeated efforts, the team succeeded in synthesizing high-purity, trilayer nickelate single crystal samples by using a high-pressure optical floating zone technique.