Researchers closing the gaps on high-temperature superconductors

Channelling electricity with virtually no resistance under ambient conditions has been a focus for physicists for the better part of half a century.

Tantalizing opportunities may be found in copper-oxide ceramics known as cuprates, but achieving them requires first understanding how the superconducting phenomenon emerges at relatively warm temperatures.

Now, a team of researchers led by Canada's National Institute of Scientific Research (INRS) has uncovered evidence of a hidden rivalry between two quantum states that could help explain how these remarkable materials work their magic.

The discovery suggests a mysterious phenomenon known as a pseudogap may not facilitate superconductivity as some theories propose. Instead, the two states appear to be competing for control of the material's electrons.

It's a finding that could bring us closer to understanding one of the biggest mysteries in modern physics, and perhaps one day help engineers design superconductors that don't require elaborate cooling...

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