When certain materials are chilled to extreme temperatures, their electrons suddenly pair up and flow without any energy loss—a phenomenon called superconductivity that could transform power grids, medical scanners, and quantum computers, but remains poorly understood. This research tackles a fundamental gap: why some materials become superconductors at higher temperatures than others, and how to systematically design better ones rather than stumbling upon them by accident. The team will use extreme conditions—ultra-low temperatures, crushing pressures, and intense magnetic fields—to probe iron-based and topological superconductors, mapping their critical limits and building two-dimensional devices from thin flakes to push those limits higher. If successful, the work could accelerate the discovery of superconductors that operate at more practical temperatures. That would mean lossless power transmission across the national grid, more sensitive MRI machines, and faster, more stable quantum computers. The project will also create a comprehensive database of experimental data, which machine learning tools will mine to refine theoretical models and guide future materials design. This is primarily fundamental science—understanding how trillions of electrons coordinate their behaviour. Past fundamental work on superconductivity gave us MRI scanners and particle accelerators; deeper understanding here could unlock technologies that currently exist only in theory.
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Superconductivity is a fascinating phenomenon where certain materials, when cooled to low temperatures, can conduct electricity with zero energy loss. This extraordinary property has the potential to revolutionize technology, enabling more efficient power grids, faster computers, advanced quantum computing, non-invasive medical imaging tools, and even levitating trains. Originally discovered during experiments to study metals at low temperatures, superconductivity has often been stumbled upon rather than systematically understood. The phenomenon arises from complex interactions among trillions of electrons in a material that pair up due to attractive interactions. This complexity makes it challenging to describe theoretically or provide a precise recipe for superconductivity. Nevertheless, new materials and experimental tools offer fresh opportunities to advance superconductivity toward higher temperatures. To unlock its full potential, this research aims to systematically investigate the fundamental causes of unconventional superconductivity, its interaction with competing electronic states, and the mechanisms behind the binding electrons into pairs to form the robust superconducting state. The study will explore multiband exotic superconductors, such as iron-based and candidate topological superconductors, both in single crystals and devices, to identify the best materials for specific applications, with the ultimate goal of continually enhancing their properties. Advanced experimental techniques under extreme conditions, such as ultra-low temperatures, high-magnetic fields, high pressures, and uniaxial strain, will be used to investigate the stabilization of superconductivity. The project will also develop two-dimensional devices from thin flakes to explore how their superconductivity can be enhanced toward record temperatures. A key objective is to map out the critical limits of novel superconductors under various conditions, including their upper critical fields, critical currents, and critical temperatures, to identify the quantum materials best suited for applications. Additionally, the research will create a comprehensive database of experimental data on unconventional superconductors. Combined with computational and machine learning tools, this database will uncover experimental patterns, classify key superconducting signatures, and refine theoretical models. This proposal will train the next generation of scientists in superconductivity, equipping them with experimental, computational, and transferable skills for future careers in industries considering the implementation of transformative superconducting technologies. Ultimately, this research will provide essential information for designing novel superconductors tailored to specific applications. By consolidating experimental knowledge and applying machine learning tools grounded in real-world data, this work will accelerate the discovery of future superconducting quantum materials.
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