Quantum spin liquid candidate becomes a superconductor under pressure

Researchers in China report that they have observed both superconductivity and an insulator-to-metal transition in sodium ytterbium (III) selenide (NaYbSe₂) simply by applying pressure to it. This inorganic substance, which is also a quantum spin liquid (QSL) candidate, could therefore become a new platform for investigating superconductivity in compounds that have electrons in their f orbitals, and for exploring the mechanisms of unconventional superconductivity in these materials.