Nickelate Superconductivity without Rare‐Earth Magnetism: (La,Sr)NiO₂

Abstract

Abstract The occurrence of unconventional superconductivity in cuprates has long motivated the search for manifestations in other layered transition metal oxides. Recently, superconductivity is found in infinite‐layer nickelate (Nd,Sr)NiO 2 and (Pr,Sr)NiO 2 thin films, formed by topotactic reduction from the perovskite precursor phase. A topic of much current interest is whether rare‐earth moments are essential for superconductivity in this system. In this study, it is found that with significant materials optimization, substantial portions of the La 1− x Sr x NiO 2 phase diagram can enter the regime of coherent low‐temperature transport ( x = 0.14 ‐ 0.20), with subsequent superconducting transitions and a maximum onset of ≈9 K at x = 0.20. Additionally, the unexpected indication of a superconducting ground state in undoped LaNiO 2 is observed, which likely reflects the self‐doped nature of the electronic structure. Combining the results of (La/Pr/Nd) 1− x Sr x NiO 2 reveals a generalized superconducting dome, characterized by systematic shifts in the unit cell volume and in the relative electron‐hole populations across the lanthanides.