MIT Physicists Uncover New Switch for Superconductivity

MIT physicists have discovered a new mechanism by which the superconductor iron selenide transitions into a superconducting state, involving a collective shift in atoms’ orbital energy, not atomic spins. This breakthrough opens up new possibilities for discovering unconventional superconductors. The higher the temperature at which a material can exhibit superconductivity, the more promising it can be for use in the real world, such as for realizing powerful electromagnets for more precise and lightweight MRI machines or high-speed, magnetically levitating trains.