New Phase of Matter (IMAGE)
Caption
An unprecedented three-pronged study has found that one type of high-temperature superconductor may exhibit a new phase of matter. As in all superconductors, electrons pair off (bottom) to conduct electricity with no resistance when the material is cooled below a certain temperature. But in this particular copper-based superconductor, many of the electrons in the material don’t pair off; instead they form a distinct, elusive order (orange plumes) that had not been seen before. Scientists at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and institutions in Japan and Thailand report their findings in the March 25 issue of Science.
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Greg Stewart/SLAC
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