In a new development that could help redefine the future of technology, a team of physicists has uncovered a fundamental insight into the upper limit of superconducting temperature.
In a new development that could help redefine the future of technology, a team of physicists has uncovered a fundamental insight into the upper limit of superconducting temperature.
This discovery, accepted for publication in Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, suggests that room-temperature superconductivity – long considered the "holy grail" of condensed matter physics – may indeed be possible within the laws of our Universe.
Superconductors, materials that can conduct electricity without resistance, have the potential to revolutionise energy transmission, medical imaging, and quantum computing. However, until now, they have only functioned at extremely low temperatures, making them impractical for widespread use. The race to find a superconductor that works at ambient conditions has been one of the most intense and elusive pursuits in modern science.
In their latest work, Queen Mary University of London Professor Kostya Trachenko and colleagues reveal that the upper limit of superconducting temperature TC is intrinsically linked to the fundamental constants of nature – the electron mass, electron charge, and the Planck constant. Constants such as these govern everything from the stability of atoms to the formation of stars and synthesis of carbon and other elements essential to life. The team’s finding shows that the upper limit ranges from hundreds to a thousand Kelvin – a range that comfortably includes room temperature.
Read more at Queen Mary University of London
