On magnetic field screening and trapping in hydrogen-rich high-temperature superconductors: unpulling the wool over readers' eyes

Abstract

In Nat Commun 13, 3194 (2022) [1], Minkov et al. reported magnetization measurements on hydrides under pressure that claimed to find a diamagnetic signal below a critical temperature demonstrating the existence of superconductivity. Here we present an analysis of raw data recently released [2] by the authors of [1] that shows that the measured data do not support their claim that the samples exhibit a diamagnetic response indicative of superconductivity. We also point out that Ref. [1] in its original form omitted essential information that resulted in presentation of a distorted picture of reality, and that important information on transformations performed on measured data remains undisclosed. Our analysis also calls into question the conclusions of Minkov et al's trapped flux experiments reported in Nat. Phys. (2023) [3] as supporting superconductivity in these materials. This work together with earlier work implies that there is no magnetic evidence for the existence of high-temperature superconductivity in hydrides under pressure.