On the ac magnetic susceptibility of a room temperature superconductor: anatomy of a probable scientific fraud

Abstract

In Nature 586, 373 (2020), Snider et al announced the experimental discovery of room temperature superconductivity in a carbonaceous sulfur hydride under high pressure, hereafter called CSH. The paper reported sharp drops in the measured magnetic susceptibility as a function of temperature for five different pressures, that were claimed to be a superior test signaling a superconducting transition. Here I present several arguments indicating that the susceptibility data published in that paper were probably fraudulent. This calls into question the validity of the entire paper and its claim of detection of room temperature superconductivity. I also describe the roadblocks that I have encountered in reaching this conclusion. A variety of implications of this situation are discussed.

arXiv admin note: This submission has been withdrawn by arXiv administrators due to a violation of professional communications standards

References in corpus (6)

• Nonstandard superconductivity or no superconductivity in hydrides under high pressure
• Anomalous behavior in high-pressure carbonaceous sulfur hydride
• Absence of high temperature superconductivity in hydrides under pressure
• Absence of magnetic evidence for superconductivity in hydrides under high pressure
• Meissner effect in nonstandard superconductors
• Flux trapping in superconducting hydrides under high pressure

Cited by in corpus (3)

• High-temperature superconductivity in hydrides
• High-Pressure Synthesis of Seven Lanthanum Hydrides with a Significant Variability of Hydrogen Content
• Clear evidence against superconductivity in hydrides under high pressure