Enhanced superconductivity and mixed-dimensional behaviour in infinite-layer samarium nickelate thin films

Mingwei Yang; Heng Wang; Jiayin Tang; Junping Luo; Xianfeng Wu; Wenjing Xu; Aile Wang; Yuetong Wu; Ruilin Mao; Ze Wang; Zhicheng Pei; Guangdi Zhou; Zhengang Dong; Bohan Feng; Lingchi Shi; Wenjie Meng; Chuanying Xi; Li Pi; Qingyou Lu; Jun Okamoto; Hsiao-Yu Huang; Di-Jing Huang; Haoliang Huang; Qisi Wang; Peng Gao; Zhuoyu Chen; Danfeng Li

doi:10.1038/s41467-026-69650-3

Enhanced superconductivity and mixed-dimensional behaviour in infinite-layer samarium nickelate thin films

Mingwei Yang (Co-first Author)
, Heng Wang (Co-first Author)
, Jiayin Tang (Co-first Author)
, Junping Luo
, Xianfeng Wu
, Wenjing Xu
, Aile Wang
, Yuetong Wu
, Ruilin Mao
, Ze Wang
, Zhicheng Pei
, Guangdi Zhou
, Zhengang Dong
, Bohan Feng
, Lingchi Shi
, Wenjie Meng
, Chuanying Xi
, Li Pi
, Qingyou Lu
, Jun Okamoto

Hsiao-Yu Huang, Di-Jing Huang, Haoliang Huang, Qisi Wang, Peng Gao, Zhuoyu Chen, Danfeng Li^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

30 Downloads (CityUHK Scholars)

Abstract

Rare-earth infinite-layer nickelates are emerging unconventional superconductors, with materials synthesis largely limited to early lanthanide compounds. Here, we report phase-pure samarium-based nickelate thin films on (LaAlO₃)_0.3(Sr₂TaAlO₆)_0.7 (001) substrates, including the first demonstration of Sm_1-xSr_xNiO₂. Co-doped compounds achieve a record-small c-axis parameter (3.26 Å) and superconducting transitions up to 32.5 K, revealing a clear correlation between decreasing c-axis parameter and increasing critical temperature across different rare-earth systems. Angle-dependent magnetoresistance shows a hybrid 2D/3D superconductivity with enhanced rare-earth 5d–Ni 3 d orbital coupling, confirmed by resonant inelastic X-ray scattering. In addition, increasing Eu concentration drives a shift toward 3D superconductivity, and Eu-containing samples exhibit distinctive negative magnetoresistance even in the superconducting state. These findings advocate clear materials design principles for higher transition temperatures and exotic physics in infinite-layer nickelate superconductors through structural engineering of the rare-earth site. © The Author(s) 2026.

Original language	English
Article number	2761
Number of pages	10
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	17
Online published	14 Feb 2026
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-69650-3
Publication status	Published - 2026

Funding

We thank Ariando and Lin Er Chow for discussions. We acknowledge the funding support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (12174325) and a Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Grant (2023A1515011352). The research was supported by research grants from the Research Grants Council (RGC) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China, under Early Career Scheme, General Research Fund and ANR-RGC Joint Researh Scheme (CityU 21301221, CityU 11309622, CityU 11300923, CityU 11313325, A-CityU102/23 and CUHK 24306223). Part of the work utilized the equipment support through a Collaborative Research Equipment Grant from RGC (C1018-22E). Part of this work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (2024YFA1408101 and 2022YFA1403101), the Natural Science Foundation of China (92265112, 12374455 and 52388201, 92565303, 12504161, and 12504166), the Guangdong Major Project of Basic Research (2025B0303000004), the Guangdong Provincial Quantum Science Strategic Initiative (GDZX2501001, GDZX2401004, GDZX2201001), the Shenzhen Science and Technology Program (KQTD20240729102026004), and the Shenzhen Municipal Funding Co-Construction Program Project (SZZX2301004 and SZZX2401001). The high-magnetic-field work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (2023YFA1607701) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (51627901). We thank the staff members of the SMA and HM System ( https://cstr.cn/31125.02.SHMFF.SM2.SMA , https://cstr.cn/31125.02.SHMFF.HM ) at the Steady High Magnetic Field Facility, Chinese Academy of Sciences ( https://cstr.cn/31125.02.SHMFF ), for providing technical support and assistance in data collection and analysis. The resonant X-ray scattering experiments were supported by National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), Taiwan (Grant No. 113-2112-M-213-016). P.G. acknowledges the support from the New Cornerstone Science Foundation through the XPLORER PRIZE. We acknowledge Electron Microscopy Laboratory of Peking University for the use of electron microscopes. We acknowledge the support from International Station of Quantum Materials.

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Yang, M., Wang, H., Tang, J., Luo, J., Wu, X., Xu, W., Wang, A., Wu, Y., Mao, R., Wang, Z., Pei, Z., Zhou, G., Dong, Z., Feng, B., Shi, L., Meng, W., Xi, C., Pi, L., Lu, Q., ... Li, D. (2026). Enhanced superconductivity and mixed-dimensional behaviour in infinite-layer samarium nickelate thin films. Nature Communications, 17, Article 2761. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-69650-3

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abstract = "Rare-earth infinite-layer nickelates are emerging unconventional superconductors, with materials synthesis largely limited to early lanthanide compounds. Here, we report phase-pure samarium-based nickelate thin films on (LaAlO3)0.3(Sr2TaAlO6)0.7 (001) substrates, including the first demonstration of Sm1-xSrxNiO2. Co-doped compounds achieve a record-small c-axis parameter (3.26 {\AA}) and superconducting transitions up to 32.5 K, revealing a clear correlation between decreasing c-axis parameter and increasing critical temperature across different rare-earth systems. Angle-dependent magnetoresistance shows a hybrid 2D/3D superconductivity with enhanced rare-earth 5d–Ni 3 d orbital coupling, confirmed by resonant inelastic X-ray scattering. In addition, increasing Eu concentration drives a shift toward 3D superconductivity, and Eu-containing samples exhibit distinctive negative magnetoresistance even in the superconducting state. These findings advocate clear materials design principles for higher transition temperatures and exotic physics in infinite-layer nickelate superconductors through structural engineering of the rare-earth site. {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2026.",

author = "Mingwei Yang and Heng Wang and Jiayin Tang and Junping Luo and Xianfeng Wu and Wenjing Xu and Aile Wang and Yuetong Wu and Ruilin Mao and Ze Wang and Zhicheng Pei and Guangdi Zhou and Zhengang Dong and Bohan Feng and Lingchi Shi and Wenjie Meng and Chuanying Xi and Li Pi and Qingyou Lu and Jun Okamoto and Hsiao-Yu Huang and Di-Jing Huang and Haoliang Huang and Qisi Wang and Peng Gao and Zhuoyu Chen and Danfeng Li",

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Yang, M, Wang, H, Tang, J, Luo, J, Wu, X, Xu, W, Wang, A, Wu, Y, Mao, R, Wang, Z, Pei, Z, Zhou, G, Dong, Z, Feng, B , Shi, L, Meng, W, Xi, C, Pi, L, Lu, Q, Okamoto, J, Huang, H-Y, Huang, D-J, Huang, H, Wang, Q, Gao, P, Chen, Z & Li, D 2026, 'Enhanced superconductivity and mixed-dimensional behaviour in infinite-layer samarium nickelate thin films', Nature Communications, vol. 17, 2761. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-69650-3

TY - JOUR

T1 - Enhanced superconductivity and mixed-dimensional behaviour in infinite-layer samarium nickelate thin films

AU - Yang, Mingwei

AU - Wang, Heng

AU - Tang, Jiayin

AU - Luo, Junping

AU - Wu, Xianfeng

AU - Xu, Wenjing

AU - Wang, Aile

AU - Wu, Yuetong

AU - Mao, Ruilin

AU - Wang, Ze

AU - Pei, Zhicheng

AU - Zhou, Guangdi

AU - Dong, Zhengang

AU - Feng, Bohan

AU - Shi, Lingchi

AU - Meng, Wenjie

AU - Xi, Chuanying

AU - Pi, Li

AU - Lu, Qingyou

AU - Okamoto, Jun

AU - Huang, Hsiao-Yu

AU - Huang, Di-Jing

AU - Huang, Haoliang

AU - Wang, Qisi

AU - Gao, Peng

AU - Chen, Zhuoyu

AU - Li, Danfeng

PY - 2026

Y1 - 2026

N2 - Rare-earth infinite-layer nickelates are emerging unconventional superconductors, with materials synthesis largely limited to early lanthanide compounds. Here, we report phase-pure samarium-based nickelate thin films on (LaAlO3)0.3(Sr2TaAlO6)0.7 (001) substrates, including the first demonstration of Sm1-xSrxNiO2. Co-doped compounds achieve a record-small c-axis parameter (3.26 Å) and superconducting transitions up to 32.5 K, revealing a clear correlation between decreasing c-axis parameter and increasing critical temperature across different rare-earth systems. Angle-dependent magnetoresistance shows a hybrid 2D/3D superconductivity with enhanced rare-earth 5d–Ni 3 d orbital coupling, confirmed by resonant inelastic X-ray scattering. In addition, increasing Eu concentration drives a shift toward 3D superconductivity, and Eu-containing samples exhibit distinctive negative magnetoresistance even in the superconducting state. These findings advocate clear materials design principles for higher transition temperatures and exotic physics in infinite-layer nickelate superconductors through structural engineering of the rare-earth site. © The Author(s) 2026.

AB - Rare-earth infinite-layer nickelates are emerging unconventional superconductors, with materials synthesis largely limited to early lanthanide compounds. Here, we report phase-pure samarium-based nickelate thin films on (LaAlO3)0.3(Sr2TaAlO6)0.7 (001) substrates, including the first demonstration of Sm1-xSrxNiO2. Co-doped compounds achieve a record-small c-axis parameter (3.26 Å) and superconducting transitions up to 32.5 K, revealing a clear correlation between decreasing c-axis parameter and increasing critical temperature across different rare-earth systems. Angle-dependent magnetoresistance shows a hybrid 2D/3D superconductivity with enhanced rare-earth 5d–Ni 3 d orbital coupling, confirmed by resonant inelastic X-ray scattering. In addition, increasing Eu concentration drives a shift toward 3D superconductivity, and Eu-containing samples exhibit distinctive negative magnetoresistance even in the superconducting state. These findings advocate clear materials design principles for higher transition temperatures and exotic physics in infinite-layer nickelate superconductors through structural engineering of the rare-earth site. © The Author(s) 2026.

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DO - 10.1038/s41467-026-69650-3

M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal

C2 - 41690958

SN - 2041-1723

VL - 17

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

M1 - 2761

ER -

Enhanced superconductivity and mixed-dimensional behaviour in infinite-layer samarium nickelate thin films

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GRF: Unconventional Transition-metal Oxide Quantum Materials by Design Using Integrated Topotactic Synthesis Approaches

ANR: An atomic-level platform for probing intertwined orders in correlated quantum materials (ImagingQM)

GRF: Phase-Sensitive Measurements in Mesoscopic Nickelate Superconducting Junction Devices

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Enhanced superconductivity and mixed-dimensional behaviour in infinite-layer samarium nickelate thin films

Abstract

Funding

Publisher's Copyright Statement

RGC Funding Information

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GRF: Unconventional Transition-metal Oxide Quantum Materials by Design Using Integrated Topotactic Synthesis Approaches

ANR: An atomic-level platform for probing intertwined orders in correlated quantum materials (ImagingQM)

GRF: Phase-Sensitive Measurements in Mesoscopic Nickelate Superconducting Junction Devices

Cite this