'Sudden Death' Of Quantum Fluctuations Sparks Superconductor Mystery
NDTV
Scientists uncover an unexpected alteration in quantum behavior challenging prevailing theories of superconductivity.
Princeton and Japanese researchers have stumbled upon a mind-bending phenomenon in the world of superconductivity. Their experiment, studying ultrathin layers of insulating material, observed the unexpected "sudden death" of swirling quantum fluctuations at a critical transition point. This unforeseen behavior challenges existing theories and could pave the way for new breakthroughs in understanding superconductivity.
Imagine a highway choked with traffic suddenly transforming into a smooth, frictionless superhighway. That's the essence of superconductivity, where electrons flow effortlessly with zero resistance.
Physicists from Princeton University in the US and the Japanese National Institute for Materials Science were studying this transition in a two-dimensional material when they witnessed something strange. As the material shifted from its normal, "traffic-jammed" state to a superconductor, the expected chaotic dance of quantum fluctuations abruptly vanished.
