Electron 'Pairing': Triplet Superconductivity Proven Experimentally for First Time

Researchers at Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB), Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (CAU) and Santa Barbara (USA) have made the first experimental breakthrough in quantum physics: Their studies on the "pairing behavior" of electrons have proven for the first time the existence of electron pairs, so-called Cooper pairs, with parallel spin direction. Cooper pairs cause superconductivity -- this is a particular state of material, in which the electrical resistance disappears. Until now the existence of triplet Cooper pairs has only been predicted theoretically. The results achieved by this research team headed by Prof. Kurt Westerholt and Prof. Hartmut Zabel (Department of Physics and Astronomy at RUB) could contribute to new, power saving components in the future.