Phys.org April 7, 2018
A team of researchers in the US (University of Maryland, Iowa State University, University of Central Florida, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of Wisconsin) has uncovered evidence for a new type of superconductivity in the material YPtBi, one that seems to arise from spin-3/2 particles rather than a spin of ½ as in an ordinary superconductor. By varying the temperature while exposing it to weak magnetic field they detected changes to the superconductor’s magnetic properties and found unusual magnetic intrusion. As the material warmed from absolute zero, the field penetration depth for YPtBi increased linearly. According to the researchers, this effect, combined with other measurements and theory calculations, constrained the possible ways that electrons could pair up…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Artistic representation of high-spin pairs forming in a YPtBi crystal, leading to unconventional superconductivity. Credit: Emily Edwards, University of Maryland