Isotropic Superconductivity in Room-temperature Superconductor LaSc$_{2}$H$_{24}$
Abstract
The discovery of LaScH represents a milestone in the quest for room-temperature superconductivity, yet the microscopic mechanism underlying its superior performance remains unclear. Through a comprehensive revisit of theoretical calculations, we uncover a pivotal transition from the anisotropic two-gap superconductivity of LaH to the isotropic single-gap superconductivity in LaScH upon the introduction of scandium, thereby enhancing the superconducting critical temperature (). This enhancement is rooted in a critical dual role of Sc electrons: i) the Sc-derived Jahn-Teller effect promotes hydrogen metallization via the elongation of specific interlayer H-H bonds and enhances electron-phonon coupling (EPC) through the softening of associated phonon modes; ii) Sc electrons reconstruct the electronic structure into an MgB-like configuration, generating novel Sc-H-Sc - and -bonding states with EPC strengths comparable to LaH. Crucially, the pronounced hybridization between Sc and the hydrogen cages effectively unifies these two contributions on the Fermi surface. This Sc-induced gap unification bridges the high-EPC H-H states with widespread Sc-H states, establishing an isotropic single-gap nature with a large overall EPC strength. Our findings identify this Sc-induced gap unification as the fundamental mechanism for achieving room-temperature superconductivity in LaScH, offering a theoretical blueprint for the future design of superior superconducting hydrides.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.2601.01398,
title = {Isotropic Superconductivity in Room-temperature Superconductor LaSc$_{2}$H$_{24}$},
author = {Zefang Wang and Wenbo Zhao and Yuan Ma and Hanyu Liu and Yanming Ma},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2601.01398},
year = {2026}
}
Comments
5 pages, 4 figures