Absence of evidence of superconductivity in sulfur hydride in optical reflectance experiments

TL;DR

This paper critically examines optical reflectance data on sulfur hydride under high pressure and finds no evidence supporting a superconducting transition, challenging previous claims of high-temperature superconductivity in this material.

Contribution

It provides a reanalysis of optical reflectance data, arguing against the existence of superconductivity in sulfur hydride under pressure, contrary to prior reports.

Findings

Data do not support a superconducting transition

System remains in normal state down to 50K

Questions the high-temperature superconductivity claim

Abstract

Capitani and coworkers [1] reported that infrared optical reflectance measurements provided evidence for a superconducting transition in sulfur hydride [2] under 150 GPa pressure, and that the transition is driven by the electron-phonon interaction. Here we argue that the measured data did not provide evidence that the system undergoes a transition to a superconducting state, nor do the data support any role of phonons in driving a transition. Rather, the data are consistent with the system remaining in the normal state down to temperature 50K, the lowest temperature measured in the experiment. This calls into further question [3,4] the generally accepted view [5] that sulfur hydride under pressure is a high temperature superconductor.