Why non-superconducting metallic elements become superconducting under high pressure

TL;DR

This paper predicts that simple and early transition metals change their Hall coefficient sign under high pressure, indicating a fundamental role for hole carriers in conventional superconductivity, which can be experimentally verified.

Contribution

It introduces the prediction that high pressure induces a sign change in the Hall coefficient of certain metals, linking hole carriers to superconductivity.

Findings

Prediction of Hall coefficient sign change under pressure

Implication of hole carriers in superconductivity

Guidance for experimental verification

Abstract

We predict that simple metals and early transition metals that become superconducting under high pressures will show a change in sign of their Hall coefficient from negative to positive under pressure. If verified, this will strongly suggest that hole carriers play a fundamental role in `conventional' superconductivity, as predicted by the theory of hole superconductivity.