Dr. Barrier and his team discovered that the devices they used detected very "reasonable" temperatures, like Kelvin, for quite substantial supercurrents. More advanced analyses indicate that the one-dimensional superconductivity in these wall materials is due to quantum Hall edge states rather than one-dimensional electronic states. Professor Vladimir Fal'ko's theoretical group at the National Graphite Institute found such one-dimensional states, showing higher capacity for hybridization with superconductivity compared to quantum Hall edge states. The strong supercurrents observed in high magnetic fields are thought to be a result of the one-dimensionality of the system's nature.
The discovery of one-dimensional superconductivity provides new opportunities for future research. Dr. Barrier says, "In our devices, electrons are confined in the same nanoscale volume and don't have to form chains. This kind of 1D system is very rare and poses a variety of problems in fundamental physics."
The team was able to change these electronic states and control the superconductivity properties by using the gate voltage. They also managed to determine the electron waves that cause the superconducting behavior. Dr. Xin said, "It's exciting to think about what this unique system can give us in the future." The one-dimensional superconductivity combined with the quantum Hall effect can potentially create topological quasiparticles. This would provide an alternative way of creating new innovations in quantum technologies and new areas for fundamental physics research.
The discovery, made 20 years after the first two-dimensional material graphene was discovered at the University of Manchester, represents a significant step forward in understanding superconductivity. The development of this long-lived 1D superconductor could open the doors to numerous innovations in quantum technologies and new fields of physics research.
