Ambient-pressure 151-K superconductivity in HgBa₂Ca₂Cu₃O_8+δ via pressure quench

Superconductivity has been a vigorously researched topic since its discovery in 1911. Raising the superconducting transition temperature (T_c) has been the main driving force behind such long-sustained efforts due to its potential for impacting humanity and the fundamental knowledge gained from understanding this macroscopic coherent quantum state at high temperatures. The successful development of high-T_c superconductivity will make possible extraordinarily efficient generation, delivery, and utilization of energy and could also enable the development of controlled fusion while impacting other burgeoning fields like quantum computation and quantum electronics. However, progress has been hindered by a longstanding plateau in the record ambient-pressure T_c, unchanged since 1993. Subsequent significant advancements in T_c have been achieved only under high pressures, preventing the realization of superconductivity's full potential. To directly address this challenge, we developed a pressure-quench protocol (PQP) to stabilize pressure-induced/-enhanced superconducting states at ambient pressure. Here, we achieve a record ambient-pressure T_c of 151 K in the cuprate HgBa₂Ca₂Cu₃O_8+δ via PQP. The experimental results are further supported by synchrotron X-ray diffraction measurements and phonon and electronic structure calculations. This breakthrough opens avenues for stabilizing and exploring ambient-pressure high-T_c superconducting states and other quantum states that have been previously only accessible under pressure, paving the way for deeper understanding and practical applications of high-T_c superconductivity and beyond.