Superconductors articles from across Nature Portfolio

The lanthanum-hydrogen system has attracted attention following the observation of superconductivity in LaH₁₀ at near-ambient temperatures and high pressures. Here authors describe the high-pressure syntheses of seven La-H phases; they report crystal structures and remarkable regularities in rare-earth element hydrides.

When hydronium ions are enriched in confined water, short hydrogen bonds (SHBs) form due to the constrained space of excess protons between pairs of water molecules. Here authors demonstrate a SHB network confined on the surface of ionic COF membranes with tunable -SO₃H groups, with proton conductivity of 1389 mS cm^-1 at 90 ^oC.

Current synthesis of 2D crystalline superconductors mainly limits them to layered materials. Now, crystalline, non-layered 2D PdTe has been synthesized by inducing interfacial reactions at a solid–solid interface, exhibiting 2D superconductivity with a thickness-dependent onset critical temperature of ~2.56 K.

Magnetic molecules have long been seen to hold promise in magnetic sensing applications. In this paper, Serrano et al show that a single layer of a magnetic molecule, a terbium based complex, is sensitive to the local magnetic field variation of a superconducting surface on which it is deposited.

Disentangling the chemistry and physics behind reported unconventional superconductivity and exotic magnetism in alkali-intercalated PAHs has remained problematic due to the lack of phase-pure samples. Two synthetic pathways have now remedied this issue, facilitating studies of cooperative electronic properties based on carbon π-electrons.

Peter Dinér describes the journey of yttrium from its discovery in a remote mine to high-temperature superconductors and light-emitting diodes.

The exotic theory of everything could shed light on the behaviour of real materials, thanks to an unexpected mathematical connection with condensed-matter physics.