Chinese scientist honored with top superconductivity award

Chinese scientist Jin Changqing has recently been honored with the highest award in superconducting materials for "the groundbreaking discovery of numerous new superconductors through high-pressure synthesis and detection", further demonstrating China's continuous breakthroughs and international leading position in cutting-edge research on superconducting materials.

The Bernd Theodor Matthias Prize, established in 1989 and awarded every three years, is widely recognized as the highest academic honor in this field. Named after German-born physicist Matthias from the United States, the prize is awarded in recognition of innovative contributions to the material aspects of superconductivity.

"The achievements are indispensable to the year-to-year dedicated joint performance of team members," said Jin from the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Dedicated for years to new materials development and superconducting research under high-pressure extreme conditions, Jin has led the team to achieve major breakthroughs with international leadership.

These advancements include superhydride high-temperature superconductors, which elevate the superconducting transition temperature to above -63 C, approaching room temperature. This provides essential experimental support for uncovering the mechanisms of high-temperature superconductivity and exploring superconductivity near room temperature.

Additionally, discoveries in high-temperature copper oxide superconductors show promise for power transmission applications by potentially reducing energy loss and improving energy efficiency. Moreover, LiFeAs, one of the main families of iron-based superconductors discovered by Chinese scientists, has contributed to the understanding of superconducting mechanisms and offers potential applications related to topological superconductivity.

Jin's achievements have been highly recognized and widely cited by international peers. His studies have been published multiple times in top international academic journals such as Nature and Nature Physics.

In 2015, Chinese scientists were awarded the prize for the first time: Chen Xianhui, a professor at the University of Science and Technology of China, for his discovery in broadening the material base for superconducting studies; and Zhao Zhongxian, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences at the Institute of Physics, for his significant contributions to the research of iron-based superconductors, which have advanced the understanding of high-temperature superconductivity mechanisms in these materials.