This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Scientists from the National University of Singapore (NUS), in collaboration with Los Alamos National Laboratory in the United States, have uncovered that a class of nickel-based materials known as samarium (Sm)-based infinite-layer nickelates can regain their superconducting ability under strong magnetic fields. This behavior could open a promising pathway toward superconducting technologies that can operate under extreme magnetic conditions.
Superconductivity, the ability of certain materials to conduct electricity without resistance, is typically destroyed by strong magnetic fields. However, a research team led by Professor Ariando from the Department of Physics at NUS, working with scientists from Los Alamos National Laboratory, has shown that Sm-based infinite-layer nickelates defy this expectation. In these nickelates, superconductivity is first suppressed at low magnetic fields of a few tesla, only to reappear as the field increases, persisting beyond 60 tesla (hundreds of thousands of times stronger than Earth's magnetic field).
This unusual behavior, known as reentrant superconductivity, has previously been observed only in materials with very low transition temperatures, limiting their practical relevance. In contrast, the Sm-based nickelates remain superconducting at temperatures up to 40 K, making them far more relevant for practical use. The team attributes this effect to the Jaccarino–Peter compensation mechanism, in which magnetic moments from rare-earth elements such as europium counteract the external magnetic field, allowing superconductivity to re-emerge.
The findings, published in the journal Nature Communications, suggest that nickelates may be able to sustain superconductivity under extraordinary magnetic conditions. This resilience could help enable ultrastrong superconducting magnets for research and medical imaging while also supporting the development of next-generation quantum devices and sensors designed for high-field environments. Km Rubi, lead researcher at Los Alamos National Laboratory and NUS physics Ph.D. alumnus, said, "This work demonstrates that nickelates can sustain superconductivity in magnetic fields far beyond conventional limits.
This opens a new frontier for high-field superconducting technologies." Dr. King Yau Yip, co-first author and research fellow at NUS, added, "The success of Jaccarino–Peter compensation in capturing the magnetic response in Sm-based nickelates marks an important step toward understanding the physics underpinning nickelate superconductors." Ariando said, "Our work shows that nickelates can sustain superconductivity far beyond conventional limits, but what excites us even more is the broader possibility this opens up. We see a path to pushing this concept toward even higher temperatures, including by exploring how it may be implemented in high-temperature cuprates.
"This is a bold and exciting next step, and one that could bring us closer to superconductors that operate under truly practical conditions." Km Rubi et al, High-field-stabilized reentrant superconductivity in infinite-layer nickelate thin films, Nature Communications (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-75922-9 Journal information: Nature Communications Provided by National University of Singapore BSc Life Sciences & Ecology. Microbiology lab background with pharmaceutical news experience in oil, gas, and renewable industries.
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