Terahertz Microscope Reveals Superconducting Electron Motion

MIT physicists use new terahertz microscope to observe quantum vibrations in superconducting materials

Feb. 4, 2026 at 9:47pm

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MIT physicists have developed a new terahertz microscope that can resolve quantum-scale details in materials, including observing the frictionless "superfluid" motion of superconducting electrons in a sample of bismuth strontium calcium copper oxide (BSCCO). The microscope overcomes the diffraction limit of terahertz light by using spintronic emitters to squeeze the light into a space much smaller than its wavelength, allowing it to interact with microscopic samples.

Why it matters

By using terahertz light to probe superconductors like BSCCO, scientists can gain a better understanding of properties that could lead to long-sought room-temperature superconductors. The new microscope can also help identify materials that emit and receive terahertz radiation, which could be the foundation for future high-speed, terahertz-based wireless communications.

The details

The team used the new terahertz microscope to send light into a sample of BSCCO, a high-temperature superconductor. They observed the superconducting electrons collectively jiggling back and forth at terahertz frequencies, creating a frictionless "superfluid" motion. This quantum-scale phenomenon had not been directly observed before. The microscope works by using spintronic emitters to squeeze the terahertz light into a space much smaller than its natural wavelength, allowing it to interact with and resolve microscopic details in the sample.

  • The study was published on February 5, 2026 in the journal Nature.

The players

Nuh Gedik

The Donner Professor of Physics at MIT and co-author of the study.

Alexander von Hoegen

A postdoc in MIT's Materials Research Laboratory and lead author of the study.

BSCCO

Bismuth strontium calcium copper oxide, a high-temperature superconducting material studied in the research.

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What they’re saying

“This new microscope now allows us to see a new mode of superconducting electrons that nobody has ever seen before.”

— Nuh Gedik, Donner Professor of Physics at MIT

“There's a huge push to take Wi-Fi or telecommunications to the next level, to terahertz frequencies. If you have a terahertz microscope, you could study how terahertz light interacts with microscopically small devices that could serve as future antennas or receivers.”

— Alexander von Hoegen, Postdoc in MIT's Materials Research Laboratory

What’s next

The team is now applying the new terahertz microscope to study other two-dimensional materials, where they hope to capture more quantum-scale terahertz phenomena.

The takeaway

This new terahertz microscope represents a significant advancement in the ability to directly observe quantum-level dynamics in superconducting and other materials, which could lead to breakthroughs in the development of room-temperature superconductors and next-generation terahertz-based wireless communications.