Electromagnetic properties of copper doped lead apatite Pb9Cu(PO4)6O

TL;DR

This study investigates the structural, electrical, and magnetic properties of Cu-doped lead apatite, finding no evidence of room-temperature superconductivity despite initial reports, and clarifying the material's characteristics.

Contribution

The paper provides comprehensive measurements showing the absence of superconductivity in Cu-doped lead apatite, challenging previous claims of room-temperature superconductivity.

Findings

No superconducting transition observed at room temperature.

Magnetization shows linear diamagnetic behavior, not superconducting.

Hall measurements indicate hole doping via Cu substitution.

Abstract

We report on the structural, electrical and magnetic measurements in as-grown polycrystalline samples of Pb10-xCux(PO4)6O. This compound has been recently reported to be a room temperature superconductor. Our as-grown specimen has excellent XRD matching with the original submission of Lee et al. This sample has 1.5% of Cu2S as an impurity phase. A resistive transition around 380 K, possibly corresponding to structural transitions of Cu2S, is observed. No evidence of superconducting to normal state transitions in I-V characteristics at room temperature is obtained. Magnetization measurements show linear diamagnetic behavior that cannot be associated to the superconducting state. Hall measurements provide evidence of hole doping through Cu substitution. In summary, we find no evidence for room temperature ambient pressure superconductivity in Cu doped lead apatite Pb9Cu(PO4)6O.