Spin density wave rather than tetragonal structure is prerequisite for superconductivity in La3Ni2O7-δ
Mengzhu Shi1,2, Di Peng3,4, Yikang Li1,2
1Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China.
Nature Communications
|October 15, 2025
Summary
Superconductivity in La3Ni2O7-δ does not require a tetragonal structure, challenging previous assumptions. This finding suggests a strong link between spin density wave (SDW) order and superconductivity in nickelates.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science
- Superconductivity
Background:
- High-temperature superconductivity in nickelates (La3Ni2O7-δ) is typically observed under pressure.
- The role of the tetragonal crystal structure in enabling superconductivity at ambient pressure is a key research question.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether the tetragonal structure is essential for superconductivity in La3Ni2O7-δ.
- To explore the relationship between crystal structure, spin density wave (SDW) order, and superconductivity in nickelates.
Main Methods:
- Post-annealing La3Ni2O7-δ in a high oxygen pressure environment to obtain tetragonal single crystals at ambient pressure.
- High-pressure experiments using Helium as a pressure medium to study superconductivity in orthorhombic La3Ni2O7-δ.
Main Results:
- Tetragonal La3Ni2O6.92 single crystals were successfully synthesized at ambient pressure, exhibiting metallic behavior without SDW transitions.
- Superconductivity was not observed in tetragonal La3Ni2O6.92 even at pressures up to 70 GPa.
- Superconductivity in La3Ni2O6.85 was confirmed to occur in the orthorhombic structure, not the tetragonal one.
Conclusions:
- The tetragonal structure is not a prerequisite for achieving superconductivity in La3Ni2O7-δ.
- A strong correlation exists between SDW order and superconductivity, providing critical insights into the mechanism of pressure-induced superconductivity in nickelates.
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