Superconducting phase above room temperature in lutetium-beryllium hydrides at high pressures

TL;DR

This study predicts room-temperature superconductivity in lutetium-beryllium hydrides at high pressures, with critical temperatures reaching up to 355 K, highlighting their potential for practical superconducting applications.

Contribution

First demonstration of room-temperature superconductivity in LuBeH$_8$ at high pressures, expanding the family of high-temperature superconducting hydrides.

Findings

Superconductivity above 100 GPa with $T_c$ up to 355 K.

Stable $Fm\overline{3}m$ structure identified at high pressures.

Strong electron-phonon coupling observed in LuBeH$_8$.

Abstract

High-pressure structural search was performed on the hydrogen-rich compound LuBeH$_8$ at pressures up to 200 GPa. We found a $Fm\overline{3}m$ structure that exhibits stability and superconductivity above 100 GPa. Our phonon dispersion, electronic band structure, and superconductivity analyses in the 100-200 GPa pressure range reveal a strong electron-phonon coupling in LuBeH$_8$. While $T_{c}$ shows a decreasing trend as the pressure increases, with a superconducting critical temperature $T_c$ of 255 K at 200 GPa and a maximum $T_c$ of 355 k at 100 GPa. Our research has demonstrated the room-temperature superconductivity in $Fm\overline{3}m$-LuBeH$_8$, thus enriching the family of ternary hydrides. These findings provide valuable guidance for identifying new high-temperature superconducting hydrides.