Evidence for High-Temperature Superconductivity in Doped Laser-Processed Sr-Ru-O

Abstract

We have discovered that samples of a new material produced by special processing of crystals of Sr2RuO4 (which is known to be a triplet superconductor with Tc values ~1.0-1.5K) exhibit signatures of superconductivity (zero DC resistance and expulsion of magnetic flux) at temperatures exceeding 200K. The special processing includes deposition of a silver coating and laser micromachining; Ag doping and enhanced oxygen are observed in the resultant surface layer. The transition, whether measured resistively or by magnetic field expulsion, is broad. When the transition is registered by resistive methods, the critical temperature is markedly reduced when the measuring current is increased. The resistance disappears by about 190K. The highest value of Tc registered by magneto-optical visualization is about 220K and even higher values (up to 250K) are indicated from the SQUID-magnetometer measurements.