Research landscape and frontiers in nickel-based high-temperature superconductivity: A comprehensive bibliometric analysis (1993–2025)

Following cuprates and iron-based superconductors, nickel-based high-temperature superconductors have emerged as a third major family with the potential to advance understanding of the mechanisms underlying high-temperature superconductivity. This study analyzes 1057 publications related to nickel-based superconductivity indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection from 1993 to 2025. The analytical framework integrates multilevel network analysis, thematic clustering, main-path analysis, burst detection, and strategic diagram analysis to investigate the complex network topology, fine-grained textual semantics, and temporal burst patterns embedded in the literature. Results show that two key breakthroughs in the field were the discovery of superconductivity in infinite-layer Nd0.8Sr0.2NiO2 in 2019 and in bilayer La3Ni2O7 under high pressure in 2023. China and the United States are the leading contributors, while France, Spain, and Germany play important bridging roles in international collaboration. Current research frontiers include infinite-layer and bilayer Ruddlesden–Popper nickelates, high-pressure superconductivity, and investigations of electronic structure and pairing mechanisms, with first-principles calculations serving as a major theoretical approach. The literature review further shows that materials research is shifting from the exploration of naturally occurring structures to the deliberate design of artificial architectures; experimental methods have expanded to include epitaxial growth, in situ control, extreme-condition experiments, and advanced characterization; mechanistic studies focus on multiorbital coupling; and device research extends toward interface, strain, and micro- and nanoscale control.