End of absolute zero: Superconductivity operates at much higher temperatures

What if superconductivity could finally be achieved at room temperature? It’s a dream come true for many physicists, but this ideal is currently limited because conduction without energy loss is only achieved at very low temperatures. Today we have to approach absolute zero and go below -240 degrees Celsius to observe this phenomenon.

However, scientists at Stanford University (California, USA) have managed to recreate a key process of superconductivity at much higher temperatures, suggesting that Space.com websiteTheir discovery, published in the journal sciencesShow that two electrons can pair at -123°C.

A way to better understand electron pair synchronization

Electronic coupling is a prerequisite for superconductivity. However, so far, lossless electrical flow has only been observed at temperatures about a hundred degrees below. However, if this initial condition is met, it may still be a long way to spreading superconductivity at -123 degrees Celsius.

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“The fathers of electrons tell us that they are ready to become superconductors, but something is holding them back.”Details in press release Ke Jun Xu, co-author of the study and a student in applied physics at Stanford University. “If we can find a new way to synchronize the pairs, we could apply it to building higher-temperature superconductors.”

Superconductivity works from the ripples left behind by the movement of electrons inside so-called superconducting materials. When the temperature is low enough, these ripples will attract electrons towards each other. But this mechanism contradicts the physical principle that two negative charges repel each other.

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Phenomenon involving quantum mechanics

However, the phenomenon of superconductivity leads to a strange reaction: the formation of a “Cooper pair.” When two electrons bond in this way, they do not follow the rules of classical physics, but adopt a behavior governed by quantum mechanics.

Cooper pairs can be compared to particles of light, where an infinite number can occupy the same point in space at the same time. Once a material has enough Cooper pairs, it becomes superfluid. This means that electrons can move through it without losing energy due to electrical resistance.

In their study, the Stanford scientists used copper, a derivative material. When exposed to ultraviolet light, the material did not react as expected. Instead of stripping electrons from the material, the Cooper pairs resisted exposure to photons, generating very little energy loss from the material. The electron resistance phenomenon was repeated down to -123 degrees Celsius.

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While it is unlikely that cuprates will be able to maintain this property at room temperature, the discovery provides a particularly promising avenue for research. The research team of Professor Zhi-Xun Shen, the study’s lead author, is already planning further studies. In particular, they want to better understand electron coupling.