Kavli Affiliate: Lena F. Kourkoutis
| First 5 Authors: Purnima P. Balakrishnan, Dan Ferenc Segedin, Lin Er Chow, P. Quarterman, Shin Muramoto
| Summary:
A key open question in the study of layered superconducting nickelate films
is the role that hydrogen incorporation into the lattice plays in the
appearance of the superconducting state. Due to the challenges of stabilizing
highly crystalline square planar nickelate films, films are prepared by the
deposition of a more stable parent compound which is then transformed into the
target phase via a topotactic reaction with a strongly reducing agent such as
CaH$_2$. Recent studies, both experimental and theoretical, have introduced the
possibility that the incorporation of hydrogen from the reducing agent into the
nickelate lattice may be critical for the superconductivity. In this work, we
use secondary ion mass spectrometry to examine superconducting
La$_{1-x}$X$_x$NiO$_2$ / SrTiO$_3$ (X = Ca and Sr) and Nd$_6$Ni$_5$O$_{12}$ /
NdGaO$_3$ films, along with non-superconducting NdNiO$_2$ / SrTiO$_3$ and
(Nd,Sr)NiO$_2$ / SrTiO$_3$. We find no evidence for extensive hydrogen
incorporation across a broad range of samples, including both superconducting
and non-superconducting films. Theoretical calculations indicate that hydrogen
incorporation is broadly energetically unfavorable in these systems, supporting
our conclusion that hydrogen incorporation is not generally required to achieve
a superconducting state in layered square-planar nickelates.
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