2023/12/20 by Xie, Chendi, Smith, Adam D., Yan, Haoran +2 · 1 citation
#FOS: Physical sciences #Superconductivity (cond-mat.supr-con)
paper · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2312.12706
Metallic hydrogen and hydride materials stand as promising avenues to achieve room-temperature superconductivity. Characterized by their high phonon frequencies and moderate coupling strengths, several high-pressure hydrides were theoretically predicted to exhibit transition temperatures (Tc) exceeding 250 K, a claim further substantiated by experimental evidence. In an effort to push Tc beyond room temperature, we introduce a dynamical method that involves stimulating hydrides with mid-infrared lasers. Employing Floquet first-principles simulations, we observe that in a nonequilibrium state induced by light, both the electronic density of states and the coupling to high-energy phonons see notable enhancements. These simultaneous improvements collectively result in an estimated 20%-30% rise in Tc in practical pump conditions. Our theoretical investigation, therefore, offers a novel strategy to potentially raise the Tc of hydrides above room temperature.