Towards higher-T_c superconductors

Area of Science:

• Condensed Matter Physics
• Materials Science
• Solid-State Chemistry

Background:

• Superconductivity is a phenomenon where materials exhibit zero electrical resistance below a critical temperature.
• The discovery of high-temperature superconductors has opened avenues for energy-efficient technologies.
• Akimitsu laboratory has been actively involved in the exploration of novel superconducting materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review new superconductors discovered in the Akimitsu laboratory.
• To categorize these novel materials into distinct structural and compositional groups.
• To discuss the potential applications and future outlook of these superconductors.

Main Methods:

• Systematic synthesis and characterization of new materials.
• Crystallographic analysis to determine structural properties.
• Electrical and magnetic property measurements to identify superconducting behavior.

Main Results:

• Categorization of new superconductors into Cu-oxide systems (including CuO2 planes and ladder lattices) and novel metal-based compounds.
• Identification of specific new superconductors such as MgB2, Y2C3, carrier-doped wide-gap semiconductors, and cage-type R5T6Sn18 (R = Sc, Y, Lu; T = Rh, Ir).
• Summary of all discovered superconductors and their properties.

Conclusions:

• The Akimitsu laboratory has made significant contributions to the field of superconductivity through the discovery of diverse new materials.
• The identified materials offer potential for advancing high-temperature superconductivity.
• Continued research is crucial for understanding and harnessing the properties of these novel superconductors.