Infinite-layer nickelate superconductivity calculated by dynamical vertex approximation

Karsten Held

The discovery of superconductivity in infinite-layer nickelates [1] marked a new age of superconductivity: the nickel age. Using density functional theory, dynamical mean-field theory and dynamical vertex approximation (DGA [2]), we successfully predicted the phase diagram  T_c vs. Sr-doping of Nd_1-xSr_xNiO₂  [4] with -for an unconventional superconductor- unprecedented accuracy. Also the normal state spin spectrum well agrees with resonant inelastic x-ray spectroscopy (RIXS) [5] and the one-particle spectrum with angular-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) [6], including waterfalls [7].

After a pedagogical introduction to DGA, I will summarize these results. With the excellent agreement to later experiments, we can now with some confidence predict the phase diagram of finite-layer nickelates [8] and that infinite-layer nickelates have a much  higher T_c under 100GPa pressure even without any chemical doping [9].

This work has been supported by the ERC project 101201037 and the FWF project I5398.

References:
[1] D. Li et al., Nature 572, 624 (2019).
[2] G. Rohringer et al., Rev. Mod. Phys.90, 25003 (2018).
[3] M. Kitatani et al., npj Quantum Materials 5, 59 (2020).
[4] K. Lee et al.,  Nature 619, 288 (2023).
[5] L. Si et al., Phys. Rev. Res.6, 043104(2024).
[6] P. Worm et al., Phys. Rev. B109, 235126 (2024).
[7] J. Krsnik and K. Held, Nature Comm. 16, 255 (2025).
[8] A. Hausoel et al., npj Quantum Materials 10, 69 (2025).
[9] S. Di Cataldo et al., Nature Comm. 15, 3952 (2024).