Thursday 27 March 2025
A team of scientists has made a fascinating discovery about a type of superconductor, a material that can conduct electricity with zero resistance when cooled to extremely low temperatures. This particular superconductor, CeRh2As2, is unique because it exhibits a phenomenon known as field-induced multiphase superconductivity.
In simple terms, this means that the material has multiple states of superconductivity, each characterized by different properties. When an external magnetic field is applied to CeRh2As2, the material’s behavior changes in a way that is not seen in other superconductors.
To understand how they studied this phenomenon, let’s take a step back and look at what happens when you cool a normal conductor, like copper wire, to very low temperatures. At these temperatures, the electrons start behaving in strange ways, forming Cooper pairs that can move through the material with zero resistance. This is known as superconductivity.
In CeRh2As2, however, things get more complicated. When cooled to extremely low temperatures, the material exhibits two distinct states of superconductivity, each characterized by different properties. The first state is a fully gapped superconductor, meaning that all electrons are paired and can move through the material with zero resistance. The second state is a nodal superconductor, where some electrons remain unpaired and do not contribute to the superconducting behavior.
The team used a technique called micro-Hall probe magnetometry to study the properties of CeRh2As2. This involved placing a tiny sensor near the surface of the material and measuring how it responded to changes in magnetic field strength. By doing so, they were able to map out the material’s magnetic properties in unprecedented detail.
Their findings revealed that when an external magnetic field is applied to CeRh2As2, the material’s behavior changes in a way that is not seen in other superconductors. The fully gapped state of superconductivity gives way to the nodal state, which has important implications for our understanding of how these materials work.
This discovery opens up new avenues for research into the properties and applications of CeRh2As2. For example, it may be possible to use this material in devices that require extremely low temperatures, such as quantum computers or highly sensitive sensors.
The study also sheds light on the fundamental physics underlying superconductivity, which is still not fully understood.
Cite this article: “Unveiling the Mysteries of Field-Induced Multiphase Superconductivity in CeRh2As2”, The Science Archive, 2025.
Superconductor, Cerh2As2, Field-Induced Multiphase Superconductivity, Cooper Pairs, Zero Resistance, Fully Gapped Superconductor, Nodal Superconductor, Micro-Hall Probe Magnetometry, Magnetic Properties, Quantum
