Achieving high-pressure superconductivity without applying high-pressure: leveraging frustrated two-dimensional hybrid van der Waals materials

Achieving superconductivity at ambient conditions remains a grand challenge in materials science. Conventional high-temperature superconductors, especially hydrogen-rich compounds, require extreme external pressures to exhibit superconductivity, limiting their practical applications. This work proposes a novel pathway to bypass the external pressure requirement by leveraging frustrated two-dimensional hybrid van der Waals (F2DvdW) materials. These materials exploit the thermodynamic and mechanical equilibrium between compressed and stretched 2D layers to maintain lateral pressure intrinsically. The study introduces the concept of embedding 2D high-pressure superconductors within strained vdW heterostructures to simulate bulk-like pressure effects. Through first-principles calculations and structural modelling, a CrS2|PtTe2 system is demonstrated as a prototype for a 4-layered slab structure. This approach opens avenues for realising pressure-free superconductivity in 2D materials and suggests that engineered frustration in layered materials can serve as an internal pressure source, expanding the design space for next-generation superconductors.