New Evidence to Aid Search for Charge 'Stripes' in Superconductors

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have identified a series of clues that particular arrangements of electrical charges known as "stripes" may play a role in superconductivity-the ability of some materials to carry electric current with no energy loss. But uncovering the detailed relationship between these stripe patterns and the appearance or disappearance of superconductivity is extremely difficult, particularly because the stripes that may accompany superconductivity are very likely moving, or fluctuating.

As a step toward solving this problem, the Brookhaven team used an indirect method to detect fluctuating stripes of charge density in a material closely related to a superconductor. The research, described in a paper published online in Physical Review Letters August 30, 2013, identifies a key signature to look for in superconductors as scientists seek ways to better understand and engineer these materials for future energy-saving applications.