Synthesis of clathrate cerium superhydride CeH9 below 100 GPa with atomic hydrogen sublattice

TL;DR

This paper reports the prediction and experimental synthesis of cerium superhydride CeH9 below 100 GPa, revealing a dense hydrogen sublattice and potential for high-temperature superconductivity at relatively low pressures.

Contribution

It introduces the first synthesis of CeH9 superhydride below 100 GPa and provides detailed structural and superconducting insights through ab-initio calculations.

Findings

CeH9 crystallizes in a P63/mmc structure with dense hydrogen sublattice.

CeH9 can be synthesized below 100 GPa in a laser-heated diamond anvil cell.

CeH9 exhibits properties promising for high-Tc superconductivity.

Abstract

Hydrogen-rich superhydrides are believed to be very promising high-Tc superconductors as they are expected to mimic characteristics of metallic hydrogen. Recent experiments discovered superhydrides at very high pressures, e.g. FeH5 at 130 GPa and LaH10 at 170 GPa. With the motivation of discovering new hydrogen-rich high-Tc superconductors at lowest possible pressure, here we report the prediction and experimental synthesis of cerium superhydride CeH9 below 100 GPa in the laser-heated diamond anvil cell. Ab-initio calculations were carried to evaluate the detailed chemistry of the Ce-H system and to understand the structure, stability and superconductivity of CeH9. CeH9 crystallizes in a P63/mmc clathrate structure with a substantially dense 3-dimensional hydrogen sublattice at 100 GPa. These findings shed a new light on the search for superhydrides in close proximity with atomic hydrogen within a feasible pressure range. Discovery of superhydride CeH9 provides a practical platform to further investigate and understand conventional superconductivity in hydrogen rich superhydrides.