What does it give?

The invention, led by Joshua P. Wakefield (Joshua P. Wakefield) and colleagues, is the creation of a calcium-nickel alloy (CaNi2)-based crystal that introduces a three-dimensional planar conduction region in the crystal lattice structure. The Japanese art of basket weaving known as Kagome.

The feature of this crystal lies in its structure. three-dimensional flat conductive region. This means that in certain areas of the crystal, electrons may behave in a way that differs from the usual behavior of electrons in materials. These unique regions, called planar conduction bands, have interesting energy-controlled quantum properties that can influence how electrons interact with each other and create new phases of matter.

This discovery builds on previous experiments in which scientists created similar conduction zones in different types of structures. Researchers have tried doing something like this before, but they ran into problems because electrons can easily escape the third dimension in the crystal.

Now researchers have successfully shown that these special electron bands can exist in kagome-patterned three-dimensional crystals.

How was this achieved?

Scientists created the crystals using a mixture of calcium and nickel. These crystals have a special structure similar to the pattern on a woven basket.

Structure of three-dimensional kagome crystal lattice / Nature photo

The team used a method to understand how these work: angular resolution photoemission spectroscopy To measure the energy of electrons inside crystals. They were able to detect a three-dimensional flat conductive region in the crystal structure.

Flat electron regions in CaNi2 crystal/ Photography of Nature

The problem is that these electron bands are not at their highest Fermi energy level. This complicates the effects on the fundamental properties of the crystal at low energy levels.

To see if this could be changed, researchers conducted an experiment. They replaced some of the nickel in the crystals with other atoms (rhodium and ruthenium) without changing the crystal structure. This change brought the electronic bands closer to the Fermi level, and this had a major impact on the crystal.

Changed the crystal became a superconductorThat is, it could conduct electricity at a temperature of 6.2 Kelvin without any resistance. This is an important step towards understanding and controlling the behavior of these materials, which can potentially be used to improve existing technologies and create new technologies.

How will it be used in practice?

This discovery promises to deepen our understanding of electron correlation, electron-phonon interaction, and planar band gaps in materials. At the same time, the researchers emphasize that such structures need further investigation and tuning.

The ultimate goal is to shed light on the interaction of these factors, potentially leading to the creation of superconductors that retain their properties at higher temperatures. The recent failure of the search for a superconductor that would operate at room temperature underscores additional efforts in this cutting-edge field of research.