Revealing the similarity to Ruddlesden-Popper nickelates and electron-phonon coupling in the infinite-layer nickelate superconductor () by pump-probe spectra
Phys. Rev. B 112, 245163 – Published 29 December, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/j8v5-vl1c
Abstract
The recently discovered infinite-layer nickelate superconductor offers a new platform for exploring high-temperature superconductivity. In this work, we employ time-resolved ultrafast optical spectroscopy to investigate the excited carrier dynamics in Eu-doped () thin film, which exhibits superconductivity with . The formation of superconducting gap was identified with estimating the gap size of about 2.5 meV, which can be eliminated with a small pump fluence of . The relaxation trajectories of quasiparticles exhibit a high similarity to those of the Ruddlesden-Popper nickelates, supporting the commonality in their electronic structures and superconductivity. More interestingly, from the temperature dependence of fast component, we estimate an electron-phonon coupling (EPC) strength of , which would predict a transition temperature of only 3.5 K. This suggests that EPC alone is insufficient to explain superconductivity in the system, and there must be other interactions that help hold Cooper pairs together.