New Mechanism For Superconductivity?

[n2doc]

ScienceDaily (Nov. 24, 2008) — Laboratory researchers have posited an explanation for superconductivity that may open the door to the discovery of new, unconventional forms of superconductivity.

In a November 20 Nature letter, research led by Tuson Park and Joe D. Thompson describes a new explanation for superconductivity in non-traditional materials—one that describes a potentially new state of matter in which the superconducting material behaves simultaneously as a nonmagnetic material and a magnetic material.

Superconducting materials carry a current without resistance, usually when cooled to temperatures nearing the liquid point of helium (nearly 452 degrees below zero Fahrenheit).
Superconductors are extremely important materials because they hold promise for carrying electricity from one place to another without current loss or providing indefinite electric storage capacity. However, the cost of cooling materials to such extremely low temperatures currently limits the practicality of superconductors. If superconductors could be designed to operate at temperatures closer to room temperature, the results would be revolutionary.

Traditional theories of superconductivity hold that electrons within certain nonmagnetic materials can pair up when jostled together by atomic vibrations known as phonons. In other words, phonons provide the “glue” that makes superconductivity possible.

Park and his colleagues now describe a different type of “glue” giving rise to superconducting behavior.

more:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081121132930.htm



Quantum "Alchemy": Formation of superconductivity in the vicinity of a singular critical point defies the conventional belief that turbulent electronic fluctuations are not beneficial to form the macroscopic quantum state. The unheralded source of superconductivity holds promise for the design of a room temperature superconductor. (Credit: Image courtesy of DOE/Los Alamos National Laboratory)

[phantom power]

1. I've been thinking...

Every time somebody reports a new result in superconductivity, it is standard operating procedure to mention that This Result Could Eventually Lead To High Temperature Superconductor Utopia(tm).

Then again, it's equally possible that new results may eventually prove that Room Temperature Superconductivity Is Impossible. That possibility doesn't get as much ink.

:evilgrin:

[BadgerKid]

2. You know it's a pop-sci article when...

high temperature, Holy Grail, or black holes gets mentioned.

Some materials turn superconducting at liquid nitrogen temperatures (~78 K), which is a heck of a lot easier and less costly than the liquid helium (~2 K) being used to cool the LHC.

[n2doc]

3. The big problem with these higher temp superconductors

is that they don't maintain this property under high magnetic fields. Believe me, if the LHC people could have gone with LN2, they would have done so. Look at any high magnetic field instrument, like a research NMR, and it will require liquid helium.