Development of Novel Superconductors – Scientists Create Two New Forms of Superconductivity

Scientists have achieved a significant breakthrough in the realm of superconductivity by meticulously arranging atoms individually, leading to the emergence of two unprecedented types of superconductors. This achievement holds the potential to drive innovation in material science and propel advancements in quantum computing. This study underscores a promising strategy to surpass the limitations imposed by naturally occurring materials, opening up avenues for pioneering states of matter in forthcoming electronic and computing technologies.

The future landscape of electronics hinges on the exploration of distinctive materials. Nevertheless, the inherent atomic structure of naturally occurring substances can pose challenges when attempting to induce novel physical phenomena. In response to this challenge, researchers from the University of Zurich have achieved a remarkable feat by crafting superconductors atom by atom, thus giving birth to novel states of matter.

What will define the computers of the future? How will they function? The pursuit of answers to these questions serves as a driving force behind fundamental physical research. Several potential scenarios exist, ranging from the evolution of classical electronics to the development of neuromorphic computing and quantum computers.

A common thread among these diverse approaches is their reliance on pioneering physical phenomena, some of which have thus far only existed in theoretical predictions. Scientists spare no effort and employ cutting-edge instrumentation in their quest for new quantum materials capable of catalyzing these phenomena. But what if nature fails to provide the required materials?

Innovative Approach to Superconductivity

In a recent publication in Nature Physics, the research team led by Professor Titus Neupert from the University of Zurich, in close collaboration with physicists from the Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics in Halle, Germany, presents a potential solution. These researchers have fabricated the requisite materials themselves, atom by atom.

Their focus centers on novel categories of superconductors, particularly intriguing due to their ability to exhibit zero electrical resistance at low temperatures. Often referred to as “ideal diamagnets,” superconductors find extensive utility in many quantum computers owing to their exceptional interactions with magnetic fields. Theoretical physicists have devoted years to exploring and forecasting various superconducting phases. However, only a select few have been definitively realized in materials, as Professor Neupert notes.

Two Novel Manifestations of Superconductivity

In this exciting collaboration, the University of Zurich researchers devised a theoretical blueprint for the atomic arrangement necessary to induce a novel superconductive phase. Subsequently, their counterparts in Germany executed experiments to actualize this envisioned atomic topology. Utilizing a scanning tunneling microscope, they meticulously positioned and deposited individual atoms with atomic precision.

The same methodology was employed to evaluate the system’s magnetic and superconductive characteristics. By depositing chromium atoms onto the surface of superconducting niobium, the researchers managed to generate two novel forms of superconductivity. While similar techniques have been employed in the past to manipulate metal atoms and molecules, this marks the first instance where two-dimensional superconductors have been created using this approach.

These findings not only validate the theoretical predictions put forth by physicists but also ignite contemplation regarding the potential emergence of other novel states of matter through similar means and their prospective applications in the quantum computers of the future.

Reference: “Two-dimensional Shiba lattices as a possible platform for crystalline topological superconductivity” by Martina O. Soldini, Felix Küster, Glenn Wagner, Souvik Das, Amal Aldarawsheh, Ronny Thomale, Samir Lounis, Stuart S. P. Parkin, Paolo Sessi and Titus Neupert, 10 July 2023, Nature Physics.
DOI: 10.1038/s41567-023-02104-5

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More about Superconductivity

• Nature Physics Research Paper
• University of Zurich News Release