Theoretical study of superconductivity in freestanding infinite-layer nickelate membranes under pressure: mitigation of excess correlation enhances $T_c$

Abstract

We theoretically investigate a freestanding membrane of infinite-layer nickelate Nd$_{0.85}$Sr$_{0.15}$NiO$_2$ under pressure by constructing a seven-orbital effective model based on first-principles calculations. By performing the fluctuation exchange (FLEX) approximation, we demonstrate that the seven-orbital model explains a monotonic increase in $T_c$ reported in a recent experiment. This enhancement of superconductivity is attributed to the mitigation of excessively strong electron correlations caused by exceptionally low valence of Ni atom. Furthermore, we examine the dynamical stability of the crystal structure under pressure through phonon calculation.