https://phys.org/physics-news/superconductivity en-us The latest news on superconductivity Superconductivity is the ability of some materials to conduct a direct electrical current (DC) with almost no resistance. This property is highly sought after and favorable for various technological applications, as it could boost the performance of different electronic and energy devices. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-strategy-light-driven-superconductivity-kc.html Condensed Matter Superconductivity Sun, 15 Oct 2023 09:10:01 EDT news616406799 Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter (MPSD) in Hamburg, Germany, have long been exploring the effect of using tailored laser drives to manipulate the properties of quantum materials away from equilibrium. One of the most striking demonstrations of these physics has been in unconventional superconductors, where signatures of enhanced electronic coherences and super-transport have been documented in the resulting non-equilibrium states. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-widely-tuneable-terahertz-lasers-boost.html Condensed Matter Superconductivity Thu, 12 Oct 2023 11:31:03 EDT news616329061 A collaboration of FLEET researchers from the University of Wollongong and Monash University have reviewed the superconducting diode effect, one of the most fascinating phenomena recently discovered in quantum condensed-matter physics. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-superconducting-diode-effect.html Superconductivity Quantum Physics Mon, 02 Oct 2023 10:46:03 EDT news615462361 In research that could jumpstart interest into an enigmatic class of materials known as quasicrystals, MIT scientists and colleagues have discovered a relatively simple, flexible way to create new atomically thin versions that can be tuned for important phenomena. In work reported in Nature they describe doing just that to make the materials exhibit superconductivity and more. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-physicists-coax-superconductivity-quasicrystals.html Condensed Matter Superconductivity Fri, 29 Sep 2023 05:49:27 EDT news615185359 The long-term vision for quantum computing is the ability to leverage millions of noise-free qubits to address selected problems that are hard to solve with classical computers. Application fields that may benefit from this technology include materials synthesis, pharmaceutical drug development, and cybersecurity, to name a few. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-upscaling-si-superconducting-based-quantum-technologies.html Superconductivity Quantum Physics Wed, 27 Sep 2023 10:24:45 EDT news615029079 Picture a nanoscale dance floor full of independently moving particles. When things really start to heat up—or, in this case, cool down—particles partner off, but on opposite sides of the space, "dancing" in synch as if telepathically. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-helium-three-superfluid-particles-pair-space.html Superconductivity Quantum Physics Thu, 21 Sep 2023 11:25:04 EDT news614514301 Quantum computers process information using quantum bits, or qubits, based on fragile, short-lived quantum mechanical states. To make qubits robust and tailor them for applications, researchers from the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory sought to create a new material system. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-advance-topological-superconductors-quantum.html Superconductivity Quantum Physics Wed, 20 Sep 2023 16:40:04 EDT news614446801 In a study published in Matter, researchers led by Prof. Yang Zhaorong and Prof. Hao Ning from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences found that the quasi-one-dimensional charge density wave (CDW) material cupric telluride (CuTe) provides a rare and promising platform for the study of multiple CDW orders and superconductivity under high pressure. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-distinct-density-intricate-interplay-superconductivity.html Condensed Matter Superconductivity Mon, 04 Sep 2023 13:23:49 EDT news613052626 Identifying and understanding experimental signatures of phases of matter is usually a challenging task due to strong electron interactions in a material and can become even harder due to external influences in samples with the presence of impurities or other sources of deformations. Typically, these interactions between the electrons in a material give rise to fascinating phenomena such as magnetism, superconductivity and electronic nematicity. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-ai-algorithm-microscopic-nematicity-moir.html Condensed Matter Superconductivity Mon, 04 Sep 2023 08:31:51 EDT news613035081 For years, physicists have been trying to explain a quantum phenomenon that occurs in a large class of superconducting materials: Electrons in so-called "strange metals" scatter at high rates in ways affected by temperature. Figuring out why this happens in certain unconventional metals could hold the keys to many quantum material puzzles, including high-temperature superconductivity, long sought after by physicists for a more efficient means of electrical energy transfer. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-sister-compounds-key-quantum-puzzle.html Superconductivity Quantum Physics Thu, 31 Aug 2023 11:09:13 EDT news612698949 Scientists from Skoltech, the Shubnikov Institute of Crystallography, and the Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research (HPSTAR) in Beijing, China, are exploring the superconductivity of polyhydrides—compounds of metals and hydrogen formed at high pressure. These compounds are expected to function at higher temperatures than cuprate superconductors. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-tin-hydride-properties-strange-metal.html Superconductivity Wed, 30 Aug 2023 09:11:03 EDT news612605461 Electronic nematic order in kagome materials has thus far been entangled with charge density waves. Now it is finally observed as a stand-alone phase in a titanium-based Kagome metal, a team of researchers led by Boston College physicists reported recently in Nature Physics. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-reveal-electronic-nematicity-density-titanium-based.html General Physics Superconductivity Thu, 24 Aug 2023 11:47:37 EDT news612096452 The so-called superconducting (SC) diode effect is an interesting nonreciprocal phenomenon, occurring when a material is SC in one direction and resistive in the other. This effect has been the focus of numerous physics studies, as its observation and reliable control in different materials could enable the future development of new integrated circuits. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-superconducting-diode-effect-device-based.html Superconductivity Wed, 23 Aug 2023 06:30:01 EDT news611828847 A team led by Prof. He Junfeng from University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), in collaboration with Academician Gao Hongjun's team from CAS and other domestic and international research teams, has discovered the van Hove singularity (VHS) at Fermi level in kagome superconductors and revealed its relationship with superconductivity. Their work was published in Nature Communications on June 28. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-reveal-van-hove-singularity-fermi.html Condensed Matter Superconductivity Tue, 22 Aug 2023 11:57:51 EDT news611924269 Researchers from the Department of Physics at Universität Hamburg, observed a quantum state that was theoretically predicted more than 50 years ago by Japanese theoreticians but so far eluded detection. By tailoring an artificial atom on the surface of a superconductor, the researchers succeeded in pairing the electrons of the so-called quantum dot, thereby inducing the smallest possible version of a superconductor. The work appears in the journal Nature. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-pairing-electrons-artificial-atoms-quantum.html Superconductivity Quantum Physics Thu, 17 Aug 2023 11:13:27 EDT news611489602 A recent claim by South Korean researchers that they have created a material which works as a superconductor at room temperature—long a holy grail of physics—has been met with huge excitement on social media but skepticism from scientists. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-scientists-skeptical-superconductor-viral.html Superconductivity Wed, 09 Aug 2023 10:40:30 EDT news610796422 Physicists have identified a mechanism for the formation of oscillating superconductivity known as pair-density waves. Physical Review Letters published the discovery, which provides new insight into an unconventional, high-temperature superconductive state seen in certain materials, including high-temperature superconductors. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-physicists-path-exotic-superconductivity.html Condensed Matter Superconductivity Tue, 08 Aug 2023 09:01:18 EDT news610704073 After more than a decade of work, electrons are now flying through a new superconducting accelerator at the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, preparing to power the world's most powerful X-ray free electron laser. This project—named the Linac Coherent Light Source II (LCLS-II)—is now steps away from releasing X-ray flashes that will open a new era in scientific research at that atomic level. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-electrons-superconducting-power-slac-x-ray.html General Physics Superconductivity Tue, 08 Aug 2023 06:23:03 EDT news610694576 LK-99 is the name of the material that is being hotly debated around the world these days: A Korean research group published results at the end of July 2023 on the preprint server arXiv suggesting that it could be a superconductor even at room temperature and normal atmospheric pressure. Superconductors known to date retain their properties only when either cooled to very low temperatures or subjected to extremely high pressure. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-newly-material-properties-advantageous-superconductivity.html Condensed Matter Superconductivity Thu, 03 Aug 2023 09:08:28 EDT news610272497 The so-called superconducting (SC) diode effect has recently attracted significant attention within the physics research community, due to its potential value for developing new technologies. This effect provides a key example of nonreciprocal superconductivity, as materials hosting it are essentially superconducting in one current flow direction and resistive in the other. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-ubiquitous-superconductive-diode-effect-thin.html Condensed Matter Superconductivity Thu, 03 Aug 2023 09:06:29 EDT news610272382 "A place for everything and everything in its place"—making sense of order, or disorder, helps us understand nature. Animals tend to fit nicely into categories: Mammals, birds, reptiles, whatever an axolotl is, and more. Sorting also applies to materials: Insulator, semiconductor, conductor, and even superconductor. Where exactly a material lands in the hierarchy depends on a seemingly invisible interplay of electrons, atoms, and their surroundings. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-rare-physics-superconductor.html Superconductivity Wed, 02 Aug 2023 13:15:33 EDT news610200917 Last week, a group of South Korean physicists made a startling claim. In two papers uploaded to the arXiv preprint server, they say they have created a material that "opens a new era for humankind." https://phys.org/news/2023-07-viral-room-temperature-superconductor-excitementand-skepticism.html Superconductivity Mon, 31 Jul 2023 13:30:01 EDT news610028777 MIT scientists and colleagues have created a simple superconducting device that could transfer current through electronic devices much more efficiently than is possible today. As a result, the new diode, a kind of switch, could dramatically cut the amount of energy used in high-power computing systems, a major problem that is estimated to become much worse. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-team-simple-superconducting-device-energy.html Condensed Matter Superconductivity Fri, 28 Jul 2023 09:14:57 EDT news609754492 Researchers have demonstrated the ability to grow high-quality thin films of a recently discovered superconductor material called potassium tantalate (KTaO3). The researchers also discovered that the material retains its superconductive characteristics even when exposed to extremely high magnetic fields. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-high-quality-superconductor-resilience-magnetic.html Superconductivity Thu, 27 Jul 2023 14:45:03 EDT news609687901 A team of physicists affiliated with several institutions in South Korea is claiming to have created the elusive room-temperature/ambient-pressure superconducting material. Their work has not yet been peer reviewed. They have posted two papers on the arXiv preprint server. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-korean-team-room-temperature-ambient-pressure-superconductor.html Superconductivity Thu, 27 Jul 2023 10:48:54 EDT news609673728 Superconductors—found in MRI machines, nuclear fusion reactors and magnetic-levitation trains—work by conducting electricity with no resistance at temperatures near absolute zero, or -459.67°F. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-game-changing-superconductors-machine-tools.html Condensed Matter Superconductivity Fri, 21 Jul 2023 09:17:03 EDT news609149821 A research team led by Prof. Chen Xianhui from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), collaborating with the team led by Prof. Sun Jian from Nanjing University, realized a new high superconducting transition temperature of 36 K in elemental materials under high pressure. Their study was published in Physical Review Letters. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-highest-elemental-superconducting-transition-temperature.html Condensed Matter Superconductivity Thu, 20 Jul 2023 12:12:16 EDT news609073934 Researchers at the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Stanford University say they've found a way to make thin films of an exciting new nickel oxide superconductor that are free of extended defects. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-foundation-superconducting-nickelates-boost.html Superconductivity Thu, 13 Jul 2023 12:14:03 EDT news608469241 The future of electronics will be based on novel kinds of materials. Sometimes, however, the naturally occurring topology of atoms makes it difficult for new physical effects to be created. To tackle this problem, researchers at the University of Zurich have now successfully designed superconductors one atom at a time, creating new states of matter. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-superconductors-built-atom.html Superconductivity Quantum Physics Thu, 13 Jul 2023 10:59:03 EDT news608464741 Physicists at the University of Regensburg (UR) led by the research groups of Professor Dr. Christoph Strunk / Dr. Nicola Paradiso and Professor Dr. Jaroslav Fabian made an exciting discovery: In their publication just published in Nature Nanotechnology, the research teams experimentally demonstrate a dramatic sign change of the supercurrent diode effect. The corresponding experimental data are in quantitative agreement with the theory of Dr. Andreas Costa, also a physicist at the University of Regensburg. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-physicists-reversal-josephson-diode-effect.html Superconductivity Quantum Physics Mon, 10 Jul 2023 13:04:36 EDT news608213072