Mikhail Eremets (1949–2024): The Architect of Extreme Superconductivity
Mikhail Eremets was a titan of high-pressure physics whose work fundamentally altered our understanding of how matter behaves under the crushing weights found in the hearts of giant planets. While many physicists spent decades searching for the "holy grail" of room-temperature superconductivity in exotic ceramics, Eremets looked to the simplest elements in the periodic table. His discovery of record-breaking superconductivity in hydrogen-rich compounds transformed a theoretical dream into a tangible reality, cementing his legacy as one of the most significant experimentalists of the 21st century.
1. Biography: From the Pripet Marshes to the Max Planck Institute
Mikhail Iosifovich Eremets was born on January 3, 1949, in the Pinsk region of present-day Belarus. His academic journey began in the Soviet Union, where he attended the Moscow Engineering Physics Institute (MEPhI), graduating in 1973. He earned his PhD in 1978 from the Institute of High Pressure Physics (HPPI) in Troitsk, an institution renowned for its rigorous approach to extreme-condition physics.
Eremets spent the first two decades of his career at HPPI, eventually becoming the director of the High Pressure Physics Department. However, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, he sought international collaborations to access more advanced experimental facilities. This led him on a global circuit:
- France: Research at the Université Pierre et Marie Curie.
- Japan: A productive stint at the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS).
- USA: A visiting professorship at the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington, D.C.
In 2001, he joined the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz, Germany. It was here, leading the High Pressure Chemistry and Physics group, that Eremets would perform the experiments that redefined the limits of condensed matter physics. He remained active in research until his passing in early 2024.
2. Major Contributions: Squeezing the Secrets out of Hydrogen
Eremets’ work focused on the Diamond Anvil Cell (DAC)—a device that uses two brilliant-cut diamonds to squeeze microscopic samples to pressures exceeding those at the Earth’s core (millions of atmospheres).
The Discovery of High-Temperature Hydrides
For nearly a century, physicists believed that "conventional" superconductivity (explained by the BCS theory) was limited to very low temperatures. Eremets challenged this. Following a 1968 prediction by Neil Ashcroft that hydrogen-rich materials could be high-temperature superconductors if squeezed hard enough, Eremets began experimenting with hydrides.
- Sulfur Hydride (H3S): In 2015, Eremets and his team shocked the world by demonstrating that sulfur hydride becomes a superconductor at 203 Kelvin (-70°C) under 1.5 million atmospheres of pressure. This was a massive jump from the previous record for conventional superconductors.
- Lanthanum Hydride (LaH10): In 2019, he pushed the boundary even further, discovering superconductivity in lanthanum hydride at 250 Kelvin (-23°C)—essentially reaching the temperature of a cold winter day.
Metallic Hydrogen and Polymeric Nitrogen
Before his hydride breakthroughs, Eremets was a pioneer in the quest for metallic hydrogen, the elusive state where hydrogen conducts electricity like a metal. He also discovered polymeric nitrogen (2004), a state of nitrogen where atoms are bonded in a single-bonded cubic structure rather than triple-bonded pairs. This material is considered the ultimate "high-energy-density" material, potentially useful for next-generation rocket fuels.
3. Notable Publications
Eremets was a prolific author, known for the meticulousness of his data. His most influential works include:
- "Conventional superconductivity at 203 kelvin at high pressures in the sulfur hydride system" (Nature, 2015): This landmark paper is one of the most cited in modern physics, proving that high-temperature superconductivity does not require "unconventional" physics.
- "Superconductivity at 250 K in lanthanum hydride under high pressures" (Nature, 2019): The paper that brought the field to the doorstep of room-temperature superconductivity.
- "Single-bonded cubic form of nitrogen" (Nature Materials, 2004): Documenting the synthesis of a new form of matter.
- High Pressure Experimental Methods (1996): A definitive textbook used by generations of high-pressure researchers.
4. Awards & Recognition
Though many in the community believed Eremets was a perennial contender for the Nobel Prize in Physics, he received several of the field's highest honors:
- Nature’s 10 (2015): Named by the journal Nature as one of the ten people who mattered most in science that year.
- Bernd T. Matthias Prize (2015): Awarded for innovative contributions to the field of superconductivity.
- James C. McGroddy Prize for New Materials (2020): Awarded by the American Physical Society (APS).
- Ulf von Euler Lecture: A prestigious recognition of his impact on the physical sciences.
5. Impact & Legacy
Eremets’ legacy is defined by validation and direction. Before 2015, the search for room-temperature superconductors was focused on "cuprates" (copper-oxides), which are notoriously difficult to understand theoretically. Eremets proved that the "conventional" mechanism—the interaction between electrons and atomic vibrations (phonons)—could indeed lead to room-temperature superconductivity.
His work launched a global "gold rush" into the study of superhydrides. Today, computational physicists use AI and quantum modeling to predict new hydride structures, which are then tested using the diamond anvil techniques Eremets perfected. Furthermore, his integrity was a beacon in the field; when other researchers made controversial or retracted claims about room-temperature superconductivity (such as the Ranga Dias affair), Eremets’ data remained the gold standard for reproducibility and rigor.
6. Collaborations
Eremets was a deeply collaborative scientist, often bridging the gap between Eastern European experimental traditions and Western technology.
- Alexander Drozdov: His longtime collaborator and postdoc at Max Planck, who was instrumental in the H3S and LaH10 experiments.
- Russell Hemley and Ho-kwang (Dave) Mao: Colleagues from the Carnegie Institution with whom he pushed the boundaries of diamond anvil technology.
- Theoretical Physicists: He worked closely with theorists like Yanming Ma and Chris Pickard, whose computational predictions he turned into physical reality.
7. Lesser-Known Facts
- The "Late Bloomer" Myth: While Eremets achieved his greatest fame in his 60s, he had been a legendary figure in high-pressure circles for decades, known for his "golden hands" in preparing incredibly small, delicate samples.
- Extreme Skepticism: Despite his revolutionary findings, Eremets was his own harshest critic. He famously delayed the publication of his 203 K discovery for months to perform every conceivable check, fearing that a false claim would damage the field's credibility.
- A Lab Rat to the End: Even as a senior scientist and group leader, Eremets was frequently found in the lab late at night, hunched over a microscope, personally adjusting the diamond anvils. He preferred the "bench" to the "office."