Bulk superconductivity in quintuple-layer square-planar nickelate La6Ni5O12
Abstract
Nickelate superconductors, sharing a similar electronic environment with cuprate superconductors, offer a promising platform for unraveling the mechanism of high-temperature superconductivity. However, the realization of superconductivity in these systems has so far been restricted to thin films or bulk samples under high-pressure. This limits the applicability of various experimental probes to study the mechanism of superconductivity, and hinders the potential application of the nickelate superconductors. Exploring bulk superconductivity at ambient pressure is therefore essential to understand its origin and enable broader experimental research. Here, we report the realization of bulk superconductivity at ambient-pressure in quintuple-layer square-planar (SP) nickelate La6Ni5O12. The SP phase is obtained by performing topotactic reaction on the quintuple-layer Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) compound La6Ni5O16. Optimized reduction condition endows La6Ni5O12 with a superconducting state that exhibits onset transition temperature of ~ 18 K, as verified by both zero resistance and diamagnetic shielding effect. Pronounced hysteresis loops revealed by magnetization and torque magnetometry demonstrate the occurrence of vortex pinning. Specific heat measurements on a polycrystalline pellet of La6Ni5O12 reveal a clear superconducting transition at ~18 K and a superconducting volume fraction of ~ 25%, which strongly supports the presence of bulk superconductivity. Our results establish an unprecedented bulk sample platform for investigating superconductivity in nickelates at ambient pressure, which paves the way for further experimental studies into the superconducting mechanism.
Related
- d-wave superconductivity in quintuple-layer bulk superconductor La6Ni5O12
- Observation of superconductivity-induced leading-edge gap in a bilayer nickelate
- The fate of s± superconductivity in the bilayer nickelate La3Ni2O7
- Superconductivity at the metal-insulator phase boundary in a bulk nickelate at ambient pressure
- Floquet engineering of competing antiferromagnetism and d-wave superconductivity on the square lattice
BibTeX
@misc{shi2026bulk,
title = {{Bulk superconductivity in quintuple-layer square-planar nickelate La6Ni5O12}},
author = {Mengzhu Shi and Mei Du and Hongyu Li and Zhiwei Wang and Zhengjie Wang and Ziji Xiang and Tao Wu and Xianhui Chen},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.20249},
eprint = {2610.20249},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.20249},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Bulk superconductivity in quintuple-layer square-planar nickelate La6Ni5O12
AU - Mengzhu Shi
AU - Mei Du
AU - Hongyu Li
AU - Zhiwei Wang
AU - Zhengjie Wang
AU - Ziji Xiang
AU - Tao Wu
AU - Xianhui Chen
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/14
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.20249
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.20249
AB - Nickelate superconductors, sharing a similar electronic environment with cuprate superconductors, offer a promising platform for unraveling the mechanism of high-temperature superconductivity. However, the realization of superconductivity in these systems has so far been restricted to thin films or bulk samples under high-pressure. This limits the applicability of various experimental probes to study the mechanism of superconductivity, and hinders the potential application of the nickelate superconductors. Exploring bulk superconductivity at ambient pressure is therefore essential to understand its origin and enable broader experimental research. Here, we report the realization of bulk superconductivity at ambient-pressure in quintuple-layer square-planar (SP) nickelate La6Ni5O12. The SP phase is obtained by performing topotactic reaction on the quintuple-layer Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) compound La6Ni5O16. Optimized reduction condition endows La6Ni5O12 with a superconducting state that exhibits onset transition temperature of ~ 18 K, as verified by both zero resistance and diamagnetic shielding effect. Pronounced hysteresis loops revealed by magnetization and torque magnetometry demonstrate the occurrence of vortex pinning. Specific heat measurements on a polycrystalline pellet of La6Ni5O12 reveal a clear superconducting transition at ~18 K and a superconducting volume fraction of ~ 25%, which strongly supports the presence of bulk superconductivity. Our results establish an unprecedented bulk sample platform for investigating superconductivity in nickelates at ambient pressure, which paves the way for further experimental studies into the superconducting mechanism.
ER -