Crystal Structure of 200 K-Superconducting Phase of Sulfur Hydride System

TL;DR

This paper reports the crystal structure of a high-temperature superconducting phase of sulfur hydride with Tc over 200 K, revealing its body-centered cubic structure and decomposition from H2S to H3S under high pressure.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed crystal structure of the 200 K superconducting phase of sulfur hydride, crucial for understanding its superconducting mechanism.

Findings

H2S decomposes to H3S under high pressure

H3S has a body-centered cubic structure in the superconducting phase

Superconductivity occurs at temperatures over 200 K

Abstract

This article reports the experimentally clarified crystal structure of a recently discovered sulfur hydride in high temperature superconducting phase which has the highest critical temperature Tc over 200 K which has been ever reported. For understanding the mechanism of the high superconductivity, the information of its crystal structure is very essential. Herein we have carried out the simultaneous measurements electrical resistance and synchrotron x-ray diffraction under high pressure, and clearly revealed that the hydrogen sulfide, H2S, decomposes to H3S and its crystal structure has body-centered cubic symmetry in the superconducting phase.