High Precision In-Situ Raman Spectroscopy on a Novel Room-Temperature Superconductor, Carbonaceous Sulfur Hydride, Under Pressure and Cryogenic Temperatures

Superconductivity is an incredible quantum phenomenon that historically only occurred at low temperatures. Recently, room-temperature superconductivity was discovered and will have various benefits and advantages in application, such as revolutionizing the energy grid, making medical imaging more accessible, and solving problems in related sciences. We have experimentally investigated carbonaceous sulfur hydride (CSH), a novel room-temperature superconductor, at varying cryogenic temperatures and pressures through high precision Raman spectroscopy. The current understanding of the material lacks information about the chemical structure and stoichiometry. Investigating the temperature and pressure space of its Raman spectra will give insight on important details about its structure, chemical composition, and phase diagram while other investigative methods are not suitable. CSH was synthesized in a diamond anvil cell (DAC) and taken to 12 GPa at ambient temperature. Raman scattering data for CSH’s vibrational spectra was collected on warm up from 10K to 293K at a pressure of 28 GPa. Various thermal broadenings, a temperature induced phase transition in the lattice mode region of the spectra, and present C-H modes at low temperatures are observed.https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/durep_podium/1028/thumbnail.jp