Superconductivity above 80 K in polyhydrides of hafnium

Abstract

Studies on polyhydrides are attracting growing attentions recently due to their potential high temperature superconductivity (SC). We here report the discovery of SC in hafnium polyhydrides at high pressures. The hafnium superhydrides are synthesized at high pressure and high temperature conditions using diamond anvil cell in combination with in-situ high pressure laser heating technique. The SC was investigated by in-situ high pressure resistance measurements in applied magnetic fields. A superconducting transition with onset Tc ∼83 K was observed at 243 GPa. The upper critical field μ0Hc2(0) was estimated to be 24 T by GL theory and the consequent superconducting coherent length ξ to be ∼37 Å. Our results suggest that the superconducting phase is from C2/m-HfH14. This is the first 5d transition metal polyhydride superconductor with Tc above the liquid nitrogen temperature.