This article explores the fascinating relationship between magnetism and superconductivity, two fundamental properties of materials that have been studied for millennia. The author, Nick Butch, a condensed matter physicist at NIST, explains how understanding these phenomena could lead to breakthroughs in energy-efficient data storage, room-temperature superconductors, and more efficient electricity transmission.
Butch describes how magnets and superconductors are essentially materials where electrons’ spins align in a cooperative manner. While magnets generate external magnetic fields, superconductors allow electricity to flow without resistance. However, these materials have limitations – superconductors can’t handle large magnetic fields, and magnets can be disrupted by temperature or chemical changes.
The author discusses recent discoveries in high-temperature superconductors, such as copper oxides and iron pnictides, which operate at temperatures closer to room temperature. He also mentions the discovery of superconductivity in hydrogen sulfide under extreme pressure. Butch emphasizes that being close to magnetism can enhance superconductivity, and that the search for room-temperature superconductors remains a major goal in condensed matter physics.
The article concludes with a description of the author’s experimental work at NIST, using neutron scattering to study electron spins in exotic materials. Butch expresses optimism about the potential for future breakthroughs in understanding and harnessing these fundamental properties of matter.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/blogs/taking-measure/magnetic-allure-superconductivity
Keywords: Magnetism, Superconductivity, Electrons, Quantum Mechanics, Neutrons
