So-called “infinite-layer” nickelate materials, characterized by their unique crystal and electronic structures, exhibit significant potential as high-temperature superconductors. Studying these materials remains challenging for researchers; they have only been synthesized as thin films and then “capped” with a protective layer that could alter properties of the nickelate layered system.
To address this challenge, a team led by researchers at the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) — a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science user facility at DOE’s Brookhaven National Laboratory — used complementary X-ray techniques at two different beamlines to gain new insights into these materials. Their results were published in Physical Review Letters.