Topological materials are materials that have unusual properties that arise because their wavefunction—the physical law guiding the electrons—is knotted or twisted. Where the topological material meets the surrounding space, the wavefunction must unwind. To accommodate this abrupt change, the electrons at the edge of the material must behave differently than they do in the main bulk of the material.
This results in what scientists call edge states. If the topological material is also a superconductor, the bulk and the edge are both superconducting but they behave differently. This is a surprising situation, much like two touching pools of water that do not merge.
A study in Nature Physics shows that the superconducting edge currents in the topological material molybdenum telluride (MoTe2) can sustain big changes in the "glue" that keeps the superconducting electrons paired. This is important because electrons pairing up is what makes electricity flow freely in a superconductor.
Topological superconductors are a possible new type of superconductors that are predicted by theory. If confirmed, they will enable the next generation of quantum technologies because they contain special particles called anyons.
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