Conventional Superconductivity at 203 Kelvin at High Pressures
2015 · paper · Physics
Studies compressed hydrogen sulfide under high pressure. It reports superconductivity with a critical temperature of 203 K, shown by resistance dropping to zero and by magnetic measurements, with an isotope shift consistent with conventional electron-phonon superconductivity.
Checked: PDF from arxiv.org, fetched 5 Oct 2026. Page numbers are those of that PDF.
5 findings
Reference or label Discussion: "high temperatures are required to reach the high Tc (Fig. 2b)"; the annealing evidence is in Fig. 2a, not Fig. 2b.
- p. 3 Discussion paragraph
high temperatures are required to reach the high Tc (Fig. 2b)
- p. 9 Fig. 2 caption (a)
annealing process
Judge's note: Page 9 image: panel (a) is the annealing run at 145 GPa, with Tc going from 170 K to ~195 K after warming above ~250 K. Panel (b) only shows typical superconducting steps for the hydride and deuteride, and its own caption defers to "as shown in Fig. 2a" for the annealing. Page 2 cites the annealing correctly as Fig. 2a. The pointer on page 3 should be Fig. 2a.
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Reference or label Reference 13 has no journal name: "Fujihisa, H. et al. Molecular dissociation and two low-temperature high-pressure phases of H2S. 69, 214102 (2004)."
- p. 6 Reference 13
H2S. 69, 214102 (2004).
Judge's note: Page 6 image shows the entry going from the title straight to an italic "69, 214102 (2004)" with no journal title, so this is not an extraction loss. The reference is incomplete as printed; the authors must supply the journal name (it cannot be verified from the files).
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Reference or label Reference 2 is garbled: "Schilling, A., Cantoni, M., Guo, J. D. & R., O. H. Superconductivity above 130-K in the Hg-BaA-Ca-Cu-O system."
- p. 6 Reference 2
Guo, J. D. & R., O. H. Superconductivity above 130-K in the Hg-BaA-Ca-Cu-O system
- p. 6 Ref. 2
Hg-BaA-Ca-Cu-O system
Only the authors can say what is right here.
Judge's note: Rests on outside knowledge: the correct last-author name of the cited Nature 1993 paper (and that the system is Hg-Ba-Ca-Cu-O) is not in the files. On the page 6 image the entry does print the last author as "R., O. H." (a surname reduced to an initial, malformed on its face) and "Hg-BaA-Ca-Cu-O" with a stray 'A' before the line break. Both are visible in the PDF, not extraction artefacts.
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Reference or label Extended Data Fig. 3 caption cites "four probe electrical measurements of Tc (Fig. 2a)" for elemental sulfur, but neither main Fig. 2a (annealing of sulfur hydride at 145 GPa) nor Extended Data Fig. 2a (anvil schematic) shows sulfur Tc; those data are in main Fig. 1b.
- p. 16 Extended Data Fig. 3 caption, second paragraph
four probe electrical measurements of Tc (Fig. 2a)
- p. 8 Fig. 1b caption
Dark yellow points are Tc’s of pure sulfur obtained with the same four-probe electrical measurement method
- p. 9 Fig. 2a caption
Changes of resistance and Tc of sulfur hydride with temperature at constant pressure
Judge's note: Viewed pages 8, 9, 15 and 16. Main Fig. 2a is the R(T) annealing run for sulfur hydride at 145 GPa. Extended Data Fig. 2a is a schematic drawing of the anvils. The four-probe Tc points for pure sulfur are the dark yellow points in main Fig. 1b, whose caption makes the same comparison with the susceptibility literature and higher values above 200 GPa. The pointer should be Fig. 1b.
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Reference or label Extended Data Fig. 3 caption says "Raman spectra of sulfur hydride (a) and sulfur (b)", but panel (a) is headed "Sulfur" (1–213 GPa) and panel (b) shows the sulfur hydride spectra (126–208 GPa); the panel letters are swapped.
- p. 16 Extended Data Fig. 3 caption, last paragraph
Raman spectra of sulfur hydride (a) and sulfur (b)
- p. 16 Extended Data Fig. 3, panel (a) header
Sulfur
Judge's note: Viewed page 16. Panel (a) is headed 'Sulfur' with spectra from 1 to 213 GPa, matching the caption paragraph on elemental sulfur. Panel (b) runs from 208 GPa down to 126 GPa with two overlaid curves explicitly marked 'sulfur 130 GPa' and 'sulfur 150 GPa', so its main series is sulfur hydride after release from 208 GPa. The caption's letter assignment is reversed.
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25 minor (typos and the like; most checked by the judge only)
Reference or label Extended Data Fig. 2a labels the electrical leads "Pt leads" (twice), while the Methods say "Four Ti electrodes were sputtered on the diamond anvil. The electrodes were capped with Au" and the same figure's caption (b) says "Ti electrodes sputtered on diamond anvil".
- p. 4 Methods Summary
Four Ti electrodes were sputtered on the diamond anvil.
- p. 15 Extended Data Fig. 2a labels
Pt leads
- p. 4 Methods
Four Ti electrodes were sputtered
- p. 4 Methods Summary
Four Ti electrodes were sputtered on the diamond anvil
Only the authors can say what is right here.
Judge's note: Page 15 image: the panel (a) schematic carries two "Pt leads" labels, and caption (b) says Ti electrodes. Page 4 image: Methods give Ti capped with Au. Pt is not mentioned anywhere in the text. The schematic may be carried over from another cell design or the Pt leads may be external connections; only the authors can say.
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Wording Main text: "loading and pressure increasing were performed at temperatures of ~200 K"; Methods: "DAC was heated to ~220 K ... and then the pressure was further increased at this temperature"; Fig. 1a and Fig. 2a captions also give 220 K.
- p. 2 Paragraph 'In our typical experiment'
loading and pressure increasing were performed at temperatures of ~200 K
- p. 5 Methods Summary
DAC was heated to ~220 K to evaporate the rest of the H2S, and then the pressure was further increased at this temperature
- p. 14 Extended Data Fig. 1 caption
Spectra at increasing pressure at ~230 K
Judge's note: Page 2 and page 5 images show ~200 K and ~220 K respectively. The Fig. 1a caption (clamped at T~220 K) and Fig. 2a caption (pressurized to 145 GPa at 220 K) were read on the page 8 and 9 images. The Extended Data Fig. 1 labels of 232-240 K and its ~230 K caption were taken from the text layer only; I did not open the page 14 image. Loading at ~200 K agrees with the Methods; only the pressurising temperature differs. "~200 K" may be a loose round figure, so this is a minor consistency point.
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Wording Tc criterion is worded two ways: Methods "Tc was determined as a point of the steepest change of resistance from the normal state (Fig. 2b)" versus Fig. 2b caption "defined here as the sharp kink in the transition to normal metallic behavior".
- p. 5 Methods Summary
Tc was determined as a point of the steepest change of resistance
- p. 9 Fig. 2b caption
defined here as the sharp kink in the transition
Judge's note: Both wordings are on the page images (p5 and p9). The Methods sentence itself points to Fig. 2b, and the 195 K / 150 K labels in Fig. 2b sit at the upper kink (onset), so the authors probably mean the same point. Read literally, 'steepest change' could mean the maximum slope at mid-transition. This is an ambiguity of wording, not a demonstrable error.
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Wording Fig. 4a caption gives the magnetization "at a pressure of 155 GPa" but says "The insert shows a sulfur hydride sample at 140 GPa in a Re gasket", without saying whether it is the same sample at an earlier pressure step.
- p. 12 Fig. 4 caption (a)
sulfur hydride sample at 140 GPa in a Re gasket
Judge's note: Both statements are on the page images (p11 and p12). Nothing in the text says the photograph is of the measured sample at the measurement pressure; a photo taken at an earlier pressure step or of another loading would be legitimate. This is an unexplained difference, not a demonstrable error.
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Wording Fig. 4c caption: "The minima at the magnetization curves (~ 350 Oe)"; in the plotted curves the minima lie at roughly 0.035–0.07 T (about 350–700 Oe) depending on temperature, and Fig. 4e plots about 640 Oe at 200 K.
- p. 12 Fig. 4c caption
The minima at the magnetization curves ( 350 Oe)
Judge's note: On the page 11 image the 50 K and 100 K minima in panel (c) sit near 0.035–0.045 T, which is compatible with an approximate "~350 Oe". The 175–190 K minima sit nearer 0.05–0.07 T, and panel (e) shows about 640 Oe at 200 K. The caption value is flagged as approximate and fits the low-temperature curves, so this is a loose single value for a temperature-dependent quantity rather than a clear error; the figure cannot be read precisely.
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Wording Extended Data Fig. 2 caption (b) says "Ti electrodes sputtered on diamond anvil" and the Methods say "Four Ti electrodes were sputtered on the diamond anvil ... capped with Au", but the schematic in panel (a) labels the leads "Pt leads" (twice).
- p. 15 Extended Data Fig. 2 caption (b) vs panel (a)
Ti electrodes sputtered on diamond anvil
Only the authors can say what is right here.
Judge's note: Viewed page 15: panel (a) is labelled 'Pt leads' in two places; caption (b) says Ti electrodes. Methods (p. 4 text) describe Ti electrodes capped with Au and mention no Pt. The Pt leads could be external leads contacting the sputtered Ti/Au electrodes, but the paper does not say so; only the authors can say which is right.
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Typo Abstract prints "The pronounce isotope shift of Tc in D2S"; "pronounce" should be "pronounced".
- p. 1 Abstract
The pronounce isotope shift of Tc in D2S
- p. 1 Abstract
The pronounce isotope shift
Judge's note: Read on the page 1 image; the abstract prints "pronounce" exactly as quoted. Plain grammatical slip.
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Typo Abstract prints "With cooling superconductivity was found deduced from a sharp drop of the resistivity"; two verbs run together ("found deduced").
- p. 1 Abstract
superconductivity was found deduced from a sharp drop
Judge's note: Read on the page 1 image; the wording is as quoted. One verb is surplus or a conjunction/comma is missing.
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Typo Affiliation prints "Hahn-Meitner Weg 1,55128, Mainz" with no space after the comma; page 2 prints "high Tc`s" with a backtick for the apostrophe.
- p. 1 Affiliation
Hahn-Meitner Weg 1,55128
- p. 2 Intro
high Tc`s
Judge's note: Both are visible on the page 1 and page 2 images. Page 3 likewise prints "Tc‘s" with an opening quote mark. Purely cosmetic.
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Typo Page 3 prints "is at least as low ~10^-11 Ohm m"; the second "as" of "as low as" is missing.
- p. 3 item (1)
at least as low 10-11 Ohm m
Judge's note: Read on the page 3 image; the wording is as quoted. This is a separate defect from the exponent mismatch in C006.
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Typo Methods: "The temperature was reliably determined by slow (warming rate of ~1 K/min) and allowing the DAC to equilibrate with attached thermometer"; a noun is missing after "slow".
- p. 5 Methods Summary, second paragraph
reliably determined by slow (warming rate of ~1 K/min) and allowing the DAC to equilibrate
Judge's note: Read on the page 5 image; the sentence is printed as quoted, so nothing was lost in extraction. Presumably "slow warming" is meant.
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Typo Methods: "The thickness might be ~1 μm in if the sample expanded over the culet."; stray word "in".
- p. 5 Methods Summary, first paragraph on the page
~1 μm in if the sample expanded over the culet
- p. 5
The thickness might be 1 m in if the sample expanded over the culet.
Judge's note: Read on the page 5 image; "~1 μm in if" is printed as quoted. Either a stray word or missing text.
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Typo Acknowledgments: "We are indebted to Patricia Alireza for genrous help with building of the new cell"; "genrous" should be "generous".
- p. 5 Acknowledgments
for genrous help
- p. 5 Acknowledgments
genrous help
- p. 5
genrous help with building of the new cell
Judge's note: Read on the page 5 image; the misspelling is printed as quoted.
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Typo Methods print a decimal comma in running text: "H2S of 99,5% and D2S of 97% purity", whereas the text elsewhere uses decimal points ("632.8 nm", "203.5 K").
- p. 5 Methods
H2S of 99,5% and D2S of 97% purity
Judge's note: Page 5 image shows "99,5%". The same page prints "632.8 nm" and the Fig. 4 caption prints "T = 203.5 K". Figure axes use commas, but the running text otherwise uses points. Cosmetic inconsistency.
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Typo Stray word in Methods: "The thickness might be ~1 µm in if the sample expanded over the culet."
- p. 5 Methods
The thickness might be 1 m in if the sample expanded
Judge's note: Page 5 image shows "~1 µm in if the sample expanded over the culet". The "in" is a stray word. The quote was not found in the text layer only because the tilde and µ glyphs were lost.
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Typo Author contributions misspelling: "S.S peformed magnetic susceptibility measurements" (should be "performed"; also missing full stop after the second initial).
- p. 6 Author contributions
S.S peformed magnetic susceptibility measurements
- p. 6 Author contributions
peformed magnetic susceptibility
Judge's note: Page 6 image clearly shows "S.S peformed".
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Typo Reference 25 duplicates the series letter: "Phys. Rev. B B 91, 184511 (2015)."
- p. 7 Reference 25
Phys. Rev. B B 91, 184511
Judge's note: Page 7 image shows an italic "Phys. Rev. B" followed by a bold "B 91". The letter is printed twice.
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Typo Reference 23 title misspelled: "Hydrogen sulde at high pressure: a strongly-anharmonic phonon-mediated superconductor."
- p. 7 Reference 23
Hydrogen sulde at high pressure
Judge's note: Page 7 image shows "sulde" with no 'fi' glyph or gap, so the dropped ligature is in the rendered PDF itself, not only in the text layer.
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Typo Reference 22 punctuation: "Phys. Rev, B 91, 060511(R) (2015)" has a comma instead of a full stop after "Rev".
- p. 7 Ref. 22
Phys. Rev, B 91, 060511(R)
Judge's note: Page 7 image shows "Phys. Rev, B" in reference 22, while references 21, 25 and 29 print "Phys. Rev. B".
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Typo Fig. 2 caption duplicates the panel labels: "(b) (b) Typical superconductive steps" and "(c) (c) Dependence of Tc on pressure".
- p. 9 Fig. 2 caption, items (b) and (c)
(b) (b) Typical superconductive steps
- p. 9 Fig. 2 caption, item (c)
(c) (c) Dependence of Tc on pressure
Judge's note: Page 9 image shows both list items with the label printed twice; item (a) is not duplicated.
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Typo Fig. 3a caption: "The upper and low parts of the transition are shown enlarged in the insets" ('low' for 'lower').
- p. 10 Fig. 3a legend
The upper and low parts of the transition
Judge's note: Page 10 image shows "The upper and low parts of the transition". Minor wording slip.
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Typo Fig. 4c y-axis label is misspelled "Magnetiztion, 10-5 emu" (panels a and d print "Magnetization").
- p. 11 Fig. 4c, y-axis label
Magnetiztion, 10-5 emu
- p. 11 Fig. 4c y-axis
Magnetiztion
Judge's note: Page 11 image: the panel (c) vertical axis label reads "Magnetiztion, 10^-5 emu", while panels (a) and (d) read "Magnetization". The label is part of the figure graphic, so it is not an extraction artefact.
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Typo Fig. 4a caption has a duplicated article: "at a pressure of 155 GPa in a the zero-field cooled (ZFC) and 20 Oe field cooled (FC) modes".
- p. 11 Fig. 4a legend
at a pressure of 155 GPa in a the zero-field cooled
Judge's note: Page 11 image shows "155 GPa in a" at the end of one line and "the zero-field cooled" at the start of the next, so "in a the" is printed.
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Typo Extended Data Fig. 3 caption: "The electrical measurements in turn are good agreement with the susceptibility measurements" (missing 'in') and "we obtained noticeable higher Tc’s" (should be 'noticeably').
- p. 16 Ext. Fig. 3 legend
are good agreement with the susceptibility measurements
- p. 16 Ext. Fig. 3 legend
noticeable higher Tc’s
Judge's note: Both phrases read as quoted on the page 16 image. Cosmetic grammar slips.
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Typo Extended Data Fig. 4 caption: "Video avaliable online at" — 'avaliable' should be 'available'.
- p. 17 Extended Data Fig. 4 caption
Video avaliable online at
- p. 17 Extended Data Fig. 4 caption
Video avaliable online
Judge's note: The misspelling is visible on the page 17 image in the Fig. 4 caption.
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