Enhancement of YBCO superconductivity by chemical surface treatment

Even though high-temperature superconductivity in cuprates has been studied for almost 40 years, it remains one of the most puzzling topics in modern physics. It is well known that most of its electrical properties strongly depend on doping and superconducting current is conducted through the CuO₂ layers. From a scientific and technological perspective, YBa₂Cu₃O_7−x (YBCO) poses significant challenges due to its low chemical stability, leading to potential alterations in its properties when exposed to various gasses, solvents, and solutions. In our study, we investigated the effects of various solvents on the metal-to-superconductor transition (MST) of YBCO. Additionally, we explored the potential to enhance the MST through exposure to solvents, along with proposing mechanisms to explain this enhancement.