Superconductors

Researchers at Tokyo Tech identify the quantum critical point in superconductors, solving a three-decade-old mystery and enhancing the understanding of superconductivity fluctuations. Credit: SciTechDaily.comThermoelectric effect reveals full picture of fluctuations in superconductivity.Weak fluctuations in superconductivity, a precursor phenomenon to superconductivity, have been successfully detected by a research group at Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech). This breakthrough was achieved by measuring the…

Just when you thought the hype about room-temperature superconductors was over, it’s not. A Swiss quantum algorithm startup, Terra Quantum, and a research lab at the State University of Campinas (Unicamp) in Brazil claim that they have discovered a form of graphite that superconducts at ambient temperature and pressure. Terra Quantum isn’t a small operation. The company raised $60 million early in 2022 for its quantum-as-a-service platform. But that doesn’t mean you should get your hopes up.…

If you’re someone who loves an internet hype cycle, good news: There’s a new group of scientists who claim to have discovered a near-room-temperature superconductor. Yes, again. People on X (formerly Twitter), Hacker News and all the other places science enthusiasts post are getting worked up about a new material described in a paper that was posted on Tuesday to arXiv, the pre-print server. (It should be noted that most of these people do not appear to be scientists let alone condensed-matter…

Harvard researchers, led by Philip Kim, have advanced superconductor technology by creating a high-temperature superconducting diode using cuprates. This development is crucial for quantum computing and represents a significant step in manipulating and understanding exotic materials and quantum states. Credit: SciTechDaily.comFabrication method could facilitate materials discovery.Harvard team led by Philip Kim innovates in high-temperature superconductors using cuprates.Developed the world’s first superconducting diode,…

Groundbreaking research in superconductivity reveals new insights into high-critical-temperature copper-based superconductors. Collaborative efforts uncovered the strange metal behavior of these superconductors and identified a quantum critical point. Extensive X-ray experiments led to this discovery, which holds promise for future technologies and sustainable solutions. Credit: SciTechDaily.com Recent research has unlocked key aspects of high-critical-temperature superconductors, identifying their unique ‘strange metal’…

So, how do these materials manage to conduct electricity without resistance, and what sorts of technological possibilities lie on the horizon, with superconductor research improving every year? Here are three stories from The Conversation’s archive that explore the history, science and future of this incredible physical phenomenon.1. Physics behind the phenomenonHow is it even possible to generate a current with zero electrical resistance, the basis for superconductivity? In order to do so, you must keep your conducting…

A new study by KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Stanford University revises of our understanding of quantum vortices in superconductors. Pictured, an artist’s depiction of quantum vortices. Credit: Greg Stewart, SLAC National Accelerator LaboratoryResearchers have redefined our understanding of quantum vortices in superconductors, showing that they can contain fractional quantum flux, contrary to previous theories. This breakthrough discovery, involving manipulating quantum vortices, opens up new potential…

Schematic illustration of the superconducting highway for energy transport and storage and superconductor levitation for the transport of people and goods. Credit: Vakaliuk et al.Revolutionary design could combine superconductor levitation, lossless electricity transmission, and liquid hydrogen transportation into one system.A proof of concept for a superconducting highway has been developed, which can transport vehicles and electricity while using a liquid hydrogen pipeline for cooling. This innovative design could…

For over a century, scientists have sought a holy grail of materials: a room-temperature superconductor, a material that can carry electrical charges without resistance, which would revolutionize the energy landscape as we know it.A team from the University of Rochester claims this week that they’ve found such a material, though some members of the scientific community are skeptical. The new research is published in Nature. Here’s what to know about the science.What is a room-temperature superconductor?Developing…