Nanowire could provide a stable, easy-to-make superconducting transistor

Superconductors — materials that conduct electricity without resistance — are remarkable. They provide a macroscopic glimpse into quantum phenomena, which are usually observable only at the atomic level. Beyond their physical peculiarity, superconductors are also useful. They’re found in medical imaging, quantum computers, and cameras used with telescopes.

But superconducting devices can be finicky. Often, they’re expensive to manufacture and prone to err from environmental noise. That could change, thanks to research from Karl Berggren’s group in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. The researchers are developing a superconducting nanowire, which could enable more efficient superconducting electronics. The nanowire’s potential benefits derive from its simplicity.

Underlying many of these superconductors is a device invented in the 1960s called the Josephson junction — essentially two superconductors separated by a thin insulator. However, the Josephson junction is fundamentally quite a delicate object. That translates directly into cost and complexity of manufacturing, especially for the thin insulating later. To overcome these disadvantages, Berggren is developing a new technology — the superconducting nanowire — with roots older than the Josephson junction itself.

Read more at MIT

Image Credit: Christine Daniloff

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