Cornell University scientists proved the theory that electrons in high-temperature superconductors are pushed into “Cooper pairs.” This is the first time there has been experimental proof that “Cooper pairs” can carry electrical current without resistance from interaction with magnetic fields of nearby atoms.
The scientists took their research one step further to show the magnetic interaction theory accurately calculates an extensive range of superconductor properties. The team tested the theory using a sensitive scanning, tunneling microscope to scan the surface of a heavy fermion superconductor to read the energy levels of electrons. The scans were used to compare different conditions and see how strongly electrons were magnetically attracted or repelled.
