Superconductivity with Tc 116K discovered in antimony polyhydrides

TL;DR

This paper reports the first experimental observation of superconductivity in antimony polyhydride with a critical temperature of 116 K at high pressure, using advanced synthesis and measurement techniques.

Contribution

It is the first to demonstrate superconductivity in antimony polyhydride and characterizes its properties at high pressure, expanding the understanding of polyhydride superconductors.

Findings

Superconductivity observed at Tc 116 K in antimony polyhydride.

Superconducting coherence length approximately 40 angstroms.

Antimony polyhydride has the second highest Tc among main group element polyhydrides.

Abstract

Superconductivity (SC) was experimentally observed for the first time in antimony polyhydride. The diamond anvil cell combined with laser heating system was used to synthesize the antimony polyhydride sample at high pressure and high temperature conditions. In-situ high pressure transport measurements as function of temperature with applied magnet are performed to study the SC properties. It was found that the antimony polyhydride samples show superconducting transition with critical temperature Tc 116 K at 184 GPa. The investigation of SC at magnetic field revealed that the superconducting coherent length ~40 angstroms based on Ginzburg Landau (GL) equation. Antimony polyhydride superconductor has the second highest Tc in addition to sulfur hydride among the polyhydrides of elements from main group IIIA to VIIA in periodic table.