Breakthrough Technique Boosts Superconductivity

Researchers discover a new way to control the conditions needed for superconductivity, which could lead to more efficient electronics.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 4:22am

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A vibrant abstract painting composed of sweeping geometric shapes, concentric circles, and precise botanical spirals in soft, earthy colors, conceptually representing the complex electron interactions and superconductivity in a new material.A new technique that allows researchers to control the conditions for superconductivity could lead to more efficient electronics and power transmission.Columbus Today

Researchers have discovered evidence that superconductivity, the ability of certain materials to conduct electric currents without any energy loss when cooled below a critical temperature, can be controlled by influencing the surrounding environment. This finding may lead to more efficient electronics down the road, according to a new study published in the journal Nature Physics.

Why it matters

Understanding more about the formation mechanisms of superconductivity could lead to better, more long-lasting materials as well as more powerful quantum devices. If scientists could develop materials that superconduct at higher temperatures, even room temperature, it could transform the current understanding and applications of electronics, power transmission, and communications.

The details

The research team, led by Chun Ning (Jeanie) Lau, a professor of physics at The Ohio State University, constructed a special material called twisted bilayer graphene - a layer of carbon stacked onto another and rotated at a small angle. By attaching the material to a synthetic diamond called strontium titanate, the team was able to see and control how strongly electrons in the system interacted with each other. They found that by adjusting the 'settings' of these electron pairs, they could switch the material's superconductivity on and off.

  • The study was published on April 7, 2026 in the journal Nature Physics.

The players

Chun Ning (Jeanie) Lau

A senior author of the study and a professor of physics at The Ohio State University.

Xueshi Gao

The lead author of the study and a current PhD student in physics at Ohio State.

The Ohio State University

The institution where the research was conducted.

Nature Physics

The journal in which the study was published.

Department of Energy

The organization that supported this work.

National Science Foundation

The organization that supported this work.

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What they’re saying

“Electrons normally repel each other, but in superconductors they form pairs; this pair formation is the key to a superconductor's ability to conduct electricity without dissipation.”

— Chun Ning (Jeanie) Lau, Professor of Physics, The Ohio State University

“If you could transmit electricity without energy loss, that would be hugely important for technologies used in our everyday life.”

— Chun Ning (Jeanie) Lau, Professor of Physics, The Ohio State University

“The mechanism of superconductivity in the twisted bilayer graphene system we used is still not well understood, but our result can shed light on and help people to better understand the concept when applying it to future work.”

— Xueshi Gao, PhD Student in Physics, The Ohio State University

What’s next

The researchers plan to continue testing other types of interactions and investigating the various complex physics questions that their work opens up.

The takeaway

This breakthrough discovery provides a new path toward controlling the conditions needed to create and manipulate superconductivity, which could lead to the development of materials that superconduct at higher temperatures and transform our understanding of electronics, power transmission, and communications.