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Related Concept Videos

Superconductor01:24

Superconductor

1.9K
A substance that reaches superconductivity, a state in which magnetic fields cannot penetrate, and there is no electrical resistance, is referred to as a superconductor. In 1911, Heike Kamerlingh Onnes of Leiden University, a Dutch physicist, observed a relation between the temperature and the resistance of the element mercury. The mercury sample was then cooled in liquid helium to study the linear dependence of resistance on temperature. It was observed that, as the temperature decreased, the...
1.9K
Types Of Superconductors01:28

Types Of Superconductors

1.7K
A superconductor is a substance that offers zero resistance to the electric current when it drops below a critical temperature. Zero resistance is not the only interesting phenomenon as materials reach their transition temperatures. A second effect is the exclusion of magnetic fields. This is known as the Meissner effect. A light, permanent magnet placed over a superconducting sample will levitate in a stable position above the superconductor. High-speed trains that levitate on strong...
1.7K
Fermi Level01:18

Fermi Level

2.0K
The Fermi-Dirac function is represented by an S-shaped curve indicating the probability of an energy state being occupied by an electron at a given temperature. The Fermi level is the energy level at which there is a fifty percent chance of finding an electron, and it is positioned between the lower-energy valence band and the higher-energy conduction band.
At absolute zero temperature, electrons fill all energy states up to the Fermi level, leaving upper states empty. As the temperature rises,...
2.0K
Theory of Metallic Conduction01:17

Theory of Metallic Conduction

1.8K
The conduction of free electrons inside a conductor is best described by quantum mechanics. However, a classical model makes predictions close to the results of quantum mechanics. It is called the theory of metallic conduction.
In this theory, Newton's second law of motion is used to determine the acceleration of an electron in the presence of an applied electric field. Then, its velocity is expressed via this acceleration.
An electron moves through the crystal, containing positive ions,...
1.8K
Ferromagnetism01:31

Ferromagnetism

3.2K
Materials like iron, nickel, and cobalt consist of magnetic domains, within which the magnetic dipoles are arranged parallel to each other. The magnetic dipoles are rigidly aligned in the same direction within a domain by quantum mechanical coupling among the atoms. This coupling is so strong that even thermal agitation at room temperature cannot break it. The result is that each domain has a net dipole moment. However, some materials have weaker coupling, and are ferromagnetic at lower...
3.2K
Magnetic Susceptibility and Permeability01:31

Magnetic Susceptibility and Permeability

2.5K
In linear magnetic materials, like paramagnets and diamagnets, magnetization is proportional to the magnetic field intensity. The constant of proportionality, a dimensionless number, is called magnetic susceptibility. The value of the susceptibility depends on the type of material.
When diamagnetic materials are placed under an external magnetic field, the moments opposite to the field are induced. Hence, the susceptibility for diamagnets has a minimal negative value of 10-5–10-6. Since...
2.5K

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Scalable Quantum Integrated Circuits on Superconducting Two-Dimensional Electron Gas Platform
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Is There a Lower Size Limit for Superconductivity?

Subhrangsu Sarkar1, Nilesh Kulkarni1, Ruta Kulkarni1

  • 1Department of Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research , Mumbai 400005, India.

Nano Letters
|October 6, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Superconductivity persists in nanocrystalline tantalum below the Anderson limit due to crystal engineering. Lattice expansion and phonon softening allow superconductivity at smaller sizes, advancing quantum technologies.

Keywords:
Superconductivityab initio calculationsdensity functional theorynanoparticlesnanostructured materialsquantum size effectssuperconducting materialstantalum

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Area of Science:

  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Materials Science
  • Nanotechnology

Background:

  • The Anderson criterion traditionally defines the lower size limit for superconductivity.
  • Quantum confinement effects are key to understanding superconductivity in nanomaterials.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate superconductivity in nanocrystalline tantalum (Ta) below the established Anderson limit.
  • To explore the influence of crystal engineering, specifically lattice expansion, on superconducting properties.

Main Methods:

  • Fabrication of phase-pure, nanocrystalline body-centered cubic tantalum (bcc-Ta).
  • Measurement of superconducting critical temperature (TC) and critical magnetic field.
  • First-principles density functional theory calculations to model TC and phonon behavior.

Main Results:

  • Superconductivity observed in bcc-Ta down to 40% below the conventional Anderson limit (approx. 4.0 nm).
  • Unusual, nonmonotonic size dependence of TC and critical magnetic field identified.
  • Lattice expansion and surface phonon softening were found to be crucial factors enabling superconductivity at reduced sizes.

Conclusions:

  • The Anderson criterion can be bypassed through crystal engineering, specifically lattice expansion.
  • Superconductivity can be maintained at sizes significantly smaller than previously thought possible.
  • Findings suggest potential for achieving superconductivity at arbitrarily small scales for future quantum technologies.