In a concealed complex of buildings on the outskirts of Beijing, there are several buildings marked with the letter "X," which stands for "extreme." This is the famous Synthetic Extreme Conditions Experimental Facility (SECUF), a research venue worth up to $220 million. It provides a unique platform for global research teams to subject their experimental samples to extreme conditions of temperature, pressure, and magnetic fields, using advanced techniques to obtain high-quality time-resolved data.

Many scientists dream of discovering new types of superconducting materials with zero electrical resistance at this facility. As a distinguished condensed matter physicist at the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences said: "The combination of different extreme conditions opens new doors for scientific discoveries." The global scientific community is striving to develop materials that show superconductivity at room temperature rather than just in cold environments since a deep understanding of superconductivity mechanisms is crucial to achieving this goal. Superconducting materials at room temperature would bring massive commercial and technological benefits, such as faster computing speeds and reduced electricity losses.

Experiments under extreme conditions can reveal novel properties of materials that are not present under normal conditions. For example, some seemingly ordinary materials can become superconductors under specific conditions of high pressure and low temperature. According to Konstantin Kamenev, a physicist specializing in extreme conditions engineering and instrumentation at the University of Edinburgh, UK, measuring superconducting properties is challenging, and the manifestation of these properties is closely related to the measurement technology used.

The Synthetic Extreme Conditions Experimental Facility is capable of providing multiple extreme conditions simultaneously, allowing researchers to explore and measure the properties of samples in a more comprehensive and efficient manner. As described by a condensed matter physicist at the Institute of Physics: "It's like a one-stop service shop."

Last September, the SECUF's 22 experimental stations were fully launched and put into use after a year of trial operations. In a bright corner of the laboratory, there is an experimental station managed by physicist Cheng Jingguang, which integrates equipment based on a cubic anvil press cell—this device exerts tremendous pressure on materials by applying force on all sides—as well as two superconducting magnets and a helium-based cryostat. This station can be used to measure the electronic properties of a range of materials.

Cheng Jingguang explains that unlike traditional high-pressure devices such as diamond anvil cells which can only accommodate samples the width of a human hair, the six-sided anvil of the SECUF can handle larger samples and more easily allows for precise observation of electronic properties. Using this device, he and his colleagues have discovered several superconductors, including a rare magnetic superconductor and a manganese-based superconductor.

On the other side of the laboratory, behind a warning sign, there is a powerful superconducting magnet system. This is an experimental station built by another condensed matter physicist at the Institute of Physics with colleagues, specifically for nuclear magnetic resonance research under extreme low temperatures and strong magnetic fields. The station can track the trajectories of atomic nuclei in strong magnetic fields, which is of great help in revealing the superconducting mechanisms of high-temperature superconductors with critical superconducting temperatures above -195.8 °C.

The integrated extreme conditions experimental apparatus is capable of generating a magnetic field of up to 26T, which is not the strongest compared to other experimental setups, but its energy consumption is far lower than others. For instance, the hybrid magnet at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory in the United States can generate a magnetic field of up to 45T and holds the world record. Additionally, the French National High Magnetic Field Laboratory can reach 37T in magnetic field strength. High magnetic fields often come with high energy consumption, but the integrated extreme conditions experimental apparatus can maintain a steady-state magnetic field for up to a month, allowing researchers to conduct longer experiments.

The device's six-face anvil press chamber design offers a larger space for samples, and it is equipped with warning signs to ensure safe use. Moreover, the magnet system inside the device can also be used for other superconductivity research. At the physics research institute, condensed matter physicist Li Gang, who is in charge of the experimental station, used ultra-low temperature and high-intensity superconducting magnets to measure the electronic properties of materials to reveal their quantum oscillation characteristics. This research helps map the "fingerprint" of material electrons.

Condensed matter physicist Alexander Eaton from the University of Cambridge and his colleagues used this experimental apparatus to study the electronic properties of the rare superconductor uranium ditelluride over a period of two weeks. Eaton indicates that the study was successfully completed here.

In superconductivity research conducted within the integrated extreme conditions experimental apparatus, experimenters can use a variety of technical methods. For example, condensed matter physicist Cao Guanghan from Zhejiang University and his team used a six-face anvil press chamber and nuclear magnetic resonance measurement techniques to study a newly discovered chromium-based material. Under high pressure, this material exhibited superconductivity. The use of nuclear magnetic resonance stations to observe the compound's magnetic characteristics helps scientists gain a deeper understanding of the material. Cao Guanghan said that this kind of device is very convenient for their research.

Superconductivity is not the sole focus of research using experimental apparatuses. Some researchers explore the properties of semiconductors through ultrafast optical fields, while others use a series of instruments to trace the elusive quantum states of matter. Cheng Jinguang pointed out that the experimental apparatus is now open to researchers nationwide and internationally, with all applications being treated equally, and a more rigorous review process will be implemented to ensure researchers have adequate research time at various experimental stations.

Condensed matter physicist Ali Bangura from the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory in the United States noted that this experimental apparatus enhances China's advantage in the field of room-temperature superconductivity research. The availability of more technical methods for observation in the same laboratory significantly increases the possibility of China achieving major breakthroughs in the field of superconductivity.