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Graphene reveals surprising types of superconducting states
Graphene consists of a single layer of carbon atoms that can be stacked to form materials with unique properties. In rhombohedral graphene with four or five layers, researchers have identified three new superconductors. The magnetic moments (arrows) of the superconducting electron pairs all point in the same direction, which allows the superconductors to withstand even strong magnetic fields without damage. (Visualization: Amy Pan, RLE; MIT)
The ultra-thin material graphene can surprisingly host several superconducting states. This has been demonstrated by researchers at the University of Basel together with colleagues from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Some of these states are even stabilized by magnetic fields, rather than being destroyed by them, as is usually the case.