Superconducting materials could play a crucial role in the energy-efficient applications of the future. However, several technical challenges still stand in the way of their practical use. Now, researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have developed a new material design that addresses a major obstacle in the field: enabling superconductivity to operate at higher temperatures while also withstanding strong magnetic fields. This breakthrough could pave the way for far more energy-efficient electronics and quantum technologies.
Digital devices, data centres and information and communications technology (ICT) networks currently account for approximately 6 to 12 per cent of global electricity consumption. There is a substantial and growing need for more energy-efficient electronics and this is where superconducting materials have emerged as a promising solution. Unlike conventional electronics, which lose energy as heat, superconductors can conduct electricity with zero energy loss. Thus, superconductors have the potential to make power grids, electronics and quantum technologies hundreds of times more energy efficient.
However, the path to real-world applications is still blocked by several key challenges. One major obstacle is that superconducting states often require extremely low temperatures – down to around minus 200 degrees Celsius. Cooling to such temperatures is complex and energy-intensive. Another major challenge is that superconductivity can be weakened or destroyed by strong magnetic fields. This is a critical limitation, as magnetic fields are often present in advanced electronic devices and are essential to many quantum technologies. For superconducting technology to move beyond the laboratory and into practical use, materials are therefore needed that can maintain superconductivity at higher temperatures – ideally close to room temperature –while also remaining robust under strong magnetic fields.
