On magnetic field screening and trapping in hydrogen-rich high-temperature superconductors: unpulling the wool over readers' eyes

TL;DR

This paper critically analyzes recent claims of high-temperature superconductivity in hydrogen-rich materials, showing that the reported magnetic evidence is unsupported and questioning the validity of previous conclusions.

Contribution

It provides a detailed reanalysis of raw data and highlights missing information, challenging claims of superconductivity in hydrides under pressure.

Findings

Measured data do not support superconductivity claims

Original reports omitted essential data details

Magnetic evidence for high-temperature superconductivity is unsubstantiated

Abstract

In Nat Commun 13, 3194 (2022) [1], Minkov et al. reported magnetization measurements on hydrides under pressure that claimed to find a diamagnetic signal below a critical temperature demonstrating the existence of superconductivity. Here we present an analysis of raw data recently released [2] by the authors of [1] that shows that the measured data do not support their claim that the samples exhibit a diamagnetic response indicative of superconductivity. We also point out that Ref. [1] in its original form omitted essential information that resulted in presentation of a distorted picture of reality, and that important information on transformations performed on measured data remains undisclosed. Our analysis also calls into question the conclusions of Minkov et al's trapped flux experiments reported in Nat. Phys. (2023) [3] as supporting superconductivity in these materials. This work together with earlier work implies that there is no magnetic evidence for the existence of high-temperature superconductivity in hydrides under pressure.