Pursuing Room -Temperature Superconductivity
Abstract
Superconductivity, during the last half-century, was at the frontiers of the most demanding applications in science and technology. Despite huge developmental progress, the implementation of unique superconducting electronics for the DoD field applications is sti ll suffering because of necessity of using cryostats. DoD can get much more benefits if room temperature superconducting (RTSC) mate rials (free of cooling requirements) will arrive in the near future. The expectation that RTSC can be achieved is not groundless. Cu rrently, the highest critical temperature of a superconductor has reached 260K, i.e., 80 Fahrenheit. Despite the fact these supercon ductors require about 2 m s of superconductivity. Their reality dismisses the skepticism previously dominating the community. The number of groups working on the RTSC task is dramatically increased, with strong acceleration of progress as well as of strategic competition between the natio ns. Successful accomplishment of this DURIP project tasks will assist in opening a new era with technological breakthrough into the RTSC.A characteristic feature of the current research state is that the candidate systems for RTSC are rather non-traditional and the conditions at which the superconducting properties are revealed are very unusual. One example was given above. Another example follows from our own research, which deals with the ideal diamagnetism at Room Temperature in the composite multilayer structure co ntaining a liquid ingredient, first reported by Dr. Kawashima (Japan). In absence of subsequent confirmations by others, the strong and continuous ONR support helped us, after hard work, reproduce and develop further the crucial point of Dr. Kawashimas finding: the ideal diamagnetism. (We have submitted a patent application jointly with Dr. Kawashima.) Ideal diamagnetism is believed to be a feature which only superconductors can possess (in the form of the Meissner effect). Due to the sample peculiarities, more characte rization is required for confidence in observing superconductivity or for development of an alternative hypothesis related the forma tion of the ideal diamagnetism. The decisive argument would be to observe other features of superconductivity such as zero resistivi ty or the presence of superconducting gap. The sustained support by ONR has allowed us to become the unique group worldwide which is observing this effect and thus is closest to succeed with further. To maintain the leadership and accelerate the progress in this s trategic development, the advanced tools are very desirable. The goal is to be able to preselect the research sample components in a dvance so that the diamagnetism is a predictable outcome of the experimental run. That will enable confidence in all other research directions with our composite samples. However, our DXR Raman microscope by ThermoFisher Inc. is very old and slow: for full charac terization of one sample it requires 40 days. That enforces to compromise the quality or pace of the research. Another factor which characterize samples vs. temperature changes, as well as measure samples containing liquid. Even our rather advanced glove-box loca ted home-made magnetic signal analyzer is not free from obvious shortcomings and the next level more user friendly, professionally designed analyzer would be very required. The system of equipment will strongly accelerate the progress in research currently suppo rted by three ONR Grants: N00014-17-1-2972, N00014-16-1-2269, and N00014-19-1-2265. The ONR is supporting three young lab postdocs w ho are very enthusiastic to promote the discovery highly benefiting the DoD.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Sep 03, 2021
- Source ID
- N000142112879
Entities
People
- Armen Gulian
Organizations
- Chapman University
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy