Flat Band Energy Saving Superconductor (IMAGE)
Caption
Aalto researchers have discovered that superconductivity is possible even in a crystal where the apparent mass of the electrons is infinite. The crystal is depicted as the ordered array of orange and green balls (atoms) in the figure. Electrons with an infinite apparent mass are also called electrons in flat bands. Superconductivity can occur if the electron waves centred around the single atoms spread widely enough to overlap significantly. Then, the electrons hop from one atom to the other through the region of overlap, and the flow of the supercurrent is ensured. Remarkably, a topological invariant of the electron waves, similar to the twist of the Mobius band shown in the figure, guarantees that overlapping electron waves exist.
Credit
Aalto University, Antti Paraoanu
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Image/ credit: Aalto University, Antti Paraoanu
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