Hole superconductivity in $H_{2}S$ and other sulfides under high pressure

Abstract

Superconductivity at temperatures up to 190 K at high pressures has recently been observed in $H_{2}S$ and interpreted as conventional BCS-electron-phonon-driven superconductivity.\cite{h2s} Instead we propose that it is another example of the mechanism of hole superconductivity at work. Within this mechanism high temperature superconductivity arises when holes conduct through negatively charged anions in close proximity. We propose that electron transfer from $H$ to $S$ leads to conduction by holes in a nearly full band arising from direct overlap of $S^{=}$ $p$ orbitals in a planar structure. The superconductivity is non-phononic and is driven by pairing of heavily dressed hole carriers to lower their kinetic energy. Possible explanations for the observed lower critical temperature of $D_{2}S$ are discussed. We predict that high temperature superconductivity will also be found in other sulfides under high pressure such as $L{i}_{2}S$, $N{a}_{2}S$ and $K_{2}S$.

References in corpus (3)

• Conventional superconductivity at 190 K at high pressures
• Hole superconductivity in Arsenic-Iron compounds
• Effect of orbital relaxation on the band structure of cuprate superconductors and implications for the superconductivity mechanism

Cited by in corpus (11)

• Unconventional Superconductivity
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• First-principles study of the pressure and crystal-structure dependences of the superconducting transition temperature in compressed sulfur hydrides
• High-temperature superconductivity in hydrides: experimental evidence and details
• Comparison of pressurized sulfur hydride with conventional superconductors
• Non-BCS thermodynamic properties of H2S superconductor
• Hole superconductivity in infinite-layer nickelates
• Understanding electron-doped cuprate superconductors as hole superconductors
• Classifying superconductivity in ThH-ThD superhydrides/superdeuterides
• The possible role of van Hove singularities in the high $T_c$ of superconducting H${}_3$S
• Why only hole conductors can be superconductors