Superconductivity and superionicity in doped rare-earth metal hydrides: Insights from first-principle calculations

Hydrides have attracted elemental attention due to their potential for high-temperature superconductivity under pressure, with recent discoveries pushing the boundaries of this field. In this study, we systematically investigated the superconducting and superionic properties of rare-earth metal hydr...

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Main Authors: Zifan Wang, Heejung Kim, Ji Hoon Shim, Duck Young Kim
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Computational Materials Today
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950463525000031
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author Zifan Wang
Heejung Kim
Ji Hoon Shim
Duck Young Kim
author_facet Zifan Wang
Heejung Kim
Ji Hoon Shim
Duck Young Kim
author_sort Zifan Wang
collection DOAJ
description Hydrides have attracted elemental attention due to their potential for high-temperature superconductivity under pressure, with recent discoveries pushing the boundaries of this field. In this study, we systematically investigated the superconducting and superionic properties of rare-earth metal hydrides with Fm3̅m symmetry, doped with carbon and nitrogen. By introducing highly electronegative elements at the tetrahedral sites or octahedral sites, we explored the effects of doping and hydrogen vacancies. Using first-principles calculations, we identified several metastable structures at ambient pressure with superconducting transition temperatures (Tc) reaching up to 14 K. Additionally, ab initio molecular dynamics simulations revealed superionic behavior, which coexists with superconductivity in these compounds. The electride nature of pure rare-earth metals plays a crucial role in driving superconductivity at low temperatures and enabling the transition to superionicity at higher temperatures. Our results highlight the potential of rare-earth metal hydrides as a novel class of superconductors, exhibiting both superconductivity and superionicity, with intriguing implications for future materials design.
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spelling doaj-art-a2e920f31236497496b670bfe54e49f42025-08-20T01:57:12ZengElsevierComputational Materials Today2950-46352025-06-01610002710.1016/j.commt.2025.100027Superconductivity and superionicity in doped rare-earth metal hydrides: Insights from first-principle calculationsZifan Wang0Heejung Kim1Ji Hoon Shim2Duck Young Kim3Center for High Pressure Science & Technology Advanced Research (HPSTAR), Shanghai 201203, PR ChinaCenter for Theoretical Physics, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Chemistry, POSTECH, Pohang 37673, Republic of KoreaCenter for High Pressure Science & Technology Advanced Research (HPSTAR), Shanghai 201203, PR China; Division of Advanced Nuclear Engineering, POSTECH, Pohang 3673, Republic of Korea; Corresponding author at: Center for High Pressure Science & Technology Advanced Research (HPSTAR), Shanghai 201203, PR China.Hydrides have attracted elemental attention due to their potential for high-temperature superconductivity under pressure, with recent discoveries pushing the boundaries of this field. In this study, we systematically investigated the superconducting and superionic properties of rare-earth metal hydrides with Fm3̅m symmetry, doped with carbon and nitrogen. By introducing highly electronegative elements at the tetrahedral sites or octahedral sites, we explored the effects of doping and hydrogen vacancies. Using first-principles calculations, we identified several metastable structures at ambient pressure with superconducting transition temperatures (Tc) reaching up to 14 K. Additionally, ab initio molecular dynamics simulations revealed superionic behavior, which coexists with superconductivity in these compounds. The electride nature of pure rare-earth metals plays a crucial role in driving superconductivity at low temperatures and enabling the transition to superionicity at higher temperatures. Our results highlight the potential of rare-earth metal hydrides as a novel class of superconductors, exhibiting both superconductivity and superionicity, with intriguing implications for future materials design.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950463525000031Hydride superconductorDopingSuperionicityElectride
spellingShingle Zifan Wang
Heejung Kim
Ji Hoon Shim
Duck Young Kim
Superconductivity and superionicity in doped rare-earth metal hydrides: Insights from first-principle calculations
Computational Materials Today
Hydride superconductor
Doping
Superionicity
Electride
title Superconductivity and superionicity in doped rare-earth metal hydrides: Insights from first-principle calculations
title_full Superconductivity and superionicity in doped rare-earth metal hydrides: Insights from first-principle calculations
title_fullStr Superconductivity and superionicity in doped rare-earth metal hydrides: Insights from first-principle calculations
title_full_unstemmed Superconductivity and superionicity in doped rare-earth metal hydrides: Insights from first-principle calculations
title_short Superconductivity and superionicity in doped rare-earth metal hydrides: Insights from first-principle calculations
title_sort superconductivity and superionicity in doped rare earth metal hydrides insights from first principle calculations
topic Hydride superconductor
Doping
Superionicity
Electride
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950463525000031
work_keys_str_mv AT zifanwang superconductivityandsuperionicityindopedrareearthmetalhydridesinsightsfromfirstprinciplecalculations
AT heejungkim superconductivityandsuperionicityindopedrareearthmetalhydridesinsightsfromfirstprinciplecalculations
AT jihoonshim superconductivityandsuperionicityindopedrareearthmetalhydridesinsightsfromfirstprinciplecalculations
AT duckyoungkim superconductivityandsuperionicityindopedrareearthmetalhydridesinsightsfromfirstprinciplecalculations