Advancements in high temperature superconductivity facilitated through hydrogen dominant materials

Elliot Snider, PhD Defense, Advised by Professor Ranga Dias

Hopeman 224

Ambient superconductivity stands as the ultimate technological advancement. First predicted by Niel Ashcroft in 1968, solid metallic hydrogen has been suggested to posses the properties needed for room temperature superconductivity. Although a great accomplishment in theoretical effort, the pressure required to observe solid metallic hydrogen has impeded experimental confirmation. Instead, hydrogen dense materials have been suggested as a means of lowering the pressure required to observe room temperature superconductivity. Following the experimental discovery of H3S with a maximum critical temperature of 203 K at 155 GPa, all binary hydrides would be theoretically explored in the "hydride rush".  The highest predicted binary hydrides are expected to reach room temperature superconductivity, however experimental confirmation has only observed near room temperature superconductivity. Recent development by this lab has shown that ternary hydride systems are the path forward for high temperature superconductivity. The addition of a third element to the binary system greatly complicates theoretical predictions and in the current state of the field, relies on scientific intuition. We report a novel material: nitrogen doped lutetium hydride, which exhibits near ambient superconductivity.