Superconductors have long been celebrated for their unique ability to conduct electricity with zero resistance and repel magnetic fields.
This remarkable behavior is made possible by Cooper pairs—pairs of electrons that glide effortlessly through the material without any friction or loss of energy.
For decades, superconducting technologies have been built using flat, two-dimensional designs, but a new breakthrough is changing that.
An international team led by researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids (MPI-CPfS) has successfully created three-dimensional superconducting nanostructures, paving the way for more advanced and adaptable superconducting devices.
At the nanoscale—1,000 times thinner than a strand of human hair—changing the shape and structure of materials can significantly alter their properties.
Shifting from two-dimensional to three-dimensional designs in superconductors unlocks new ways to control their behavior. This breakthrough was made possible through a technique that is similar to 3D printing but designed for the nanoscale.
Using this method, the team constructed tiny, bridge-like superconductors that could be manipulated in ways never seen before.
One of the most exciting aspects of this innovation is the ability to locally control the superconducting state. In simpler terms, scientists can now “switch off” superconductivity in specific sections of the 3D structure while keeping it active in others. This coexistence of superconducting and normal states is incredibly important.
It allows for the creation of weak links—tiny areas where superconductivity is intentionally interrupted. These weak links are crucial for technologies like ultra-sensitive sensors.
What makes this achievement even more groundbreaking is how this control is achieved. Unlike traditional methods that require fixed designs on flat surfaces, the researchers demonstrated that simply rotating the 3D nanostructure in a magnetic field could toggle superconductivity on and off.
This means that the superconducting state is not just fixed—it is reconfigurable, opening up possibilities for adaptive and multi-functional superconducting devices.
Claire Donnelly, the Lise Meitner Group leader at MPI-CPfS and senior author of the study, described this new capability as a “reconfigurable superconducting device.” This adaptability allows the material to respond dynamically to external conditions, setting the stage for new types of superconducting technologies. With this breakthrough, the team envisions a future where 3D superconducting nanostructures are used in complex logic systems and neuromorphic computing—technologies that mimic the human brain.
This leap into three-dimensional designs is not just an evolution; it’s a revolution. It transforms the way superconductors are designed and controlled, enabling more versatile, efficient, and powerful technologies.
With these reconfigurable superconducting devices, the possibilities for innovation in computing, sensing, and quantum technologies are vast, marking an exciting new chapter in the world of superconductivity.
