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This model train demonstrates magnetic levitation, the Meissner Effect and magnetic flux trapping.

They don't call it super for nothing. Once you get a superconductor going, it'll keep on ticking like the Energizer Bunny, only a lot longer. The catch is, it needs to be kept colder than Pluto.

At the National MagLab and other labs across the globe, the race to discover ever-warmer superconductors is heating up. Find out what these materials are, what they’re good for and why this field is red hot.

Whether with people, particles or the forces of physics, love always finds a way.

John Bardeen was one of a handful of individuals awarded the Nobel Prize twice and the first scientist to win dual awards in physics.

Leon Cooper shared the 1972 Nobel Prize in Physics with John Bardeen and Robert Schrieffer, with whom he developed the first widely accepted theory of superconductivity.

In their search for new superconductors, Swiss theoretical physicist Karl Alexander Müller and his young colleague, J. Georg Bednorz, abandoned the metal alloys typically used in superconductivity research in favor of a class of oxides known as perovskites.

Heike Kamerlingh Onnes was a Dutch physicist who first observed the phenomenon of superconductivity while carrying out pioneering work in the field of cryogenics.

While still in graduate school, John Robert Schrieffer developed with John Bardeen and Leon Cooper a theoretical explanation of superconductivity that garnered the trio the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1972.

New tools such as special microscopes and the cyclotron take research to higher levels, while average citizens enjoy novel amenities such as the FM radio.

Defense-related research leads to the computer, the world enters the atomic age and TV conquers America.

Computers evolve into PCs, researchers discover one new subatomic particle after another and the space age gives our psyches and science a new context.

Scientists explore new energy sources, the World Wide Web spins a vast network and nanotechnology is born.

This work provides important insight into one of the parent materials of iron-based superconductors.

Scientists found that the emergence of an exotic quantum mechanical phase in Ce_1-xNd_xCoIn₅ is due to a shape change in the Fermi surface. This finding ran counter to theoretical arguments and has led investigators in new directions.

Scientists have long pursued the goal of superconductivity at room temperature. This work opens a route towards one day stabilizing superconductivity at room temperature, which could open tremendous technological opportunities.

The observation of topological states coupled with superconductivity represents an opportunity for scientists to manipulate nontrivial superconducting states via the spin-orbit interaction. While superconductivity has been extensively studied since its discovery in 1910, the advent of topological materials gives scientists a new avenue to explore quantum matter. BiPd is being studied using "MagLab-sized fields" by scientists from LSU in an effort to determine if it is indeed a topological superconductor.

MagLab users have modified the critical current of Nb₃SN, a material that was thought to be fully exploited, and boosted its performance by 50%.

Studies of uranium ditelluride in high magnetic fields show superconductivity switching off at 35 T, but reoccurring at higher magnetic fields between 40 and 65 T.

A nematic phase is where the molecular/atomic dynamics show elements of both liquids and solids, like in liquid crystal displays on digital watches or calculators. Using high magnetic fields and high pressure, researchers probed the electronic states of an iron-based superconductor and found that its nematic state weakened superconductivity.

This research clarifies fundamental relationships between magnetism, superconductivity and the nature of the enigmatic “pseudogap state" in cuprate superconductors. The discovery provides an additional puzzle piece in the theoretical understanding of high-temperature superconductors - a key towards improving and utilizing these materials for technological applications.

Nuclear magnetic resonance measurements were performed in the all-new 32 T superconducting magnet in an effort to confirm a new quantum state. Results confirm the game-changing nature of this magnet.

The MagLab's 32 T all-superconducting magnet is now serving users at full field. An early experiment in the magnet identified an important milestone on the road to quantum computers.

Electrons in metals behave like chaotic bumper cars, crashing into each other at every opportunity. While they may be reckless drivers, this result demonstrates that this chaos has a limit established by the laws of quantum mechanics. Using the 45T hybrid magnet and a crystal of high-temperature superconducting material, scientists were able to measure this boundary using high fields to bend electron trajectories to their will.

In high-temperature superconductors, a region exists between the superconducting and normal states known as the pseudogap state. Using the 45T hybrid magnet, scientists have determined that magnetism plays a previously unknown role in the development of the pseudogap phase.

Research on a tungsten disulfide material (1T’-WS₂) reveals a superconducting state that is able to carry an incredibly large amount of current within its superconducting layers - exceeding all other known two-dimensional superconductors.

At ultra-low temperatures in the 32T all superconducting magnet, MagLab users fully mapped out the Fermi surface of UTe_2, learning more about how electrons behave outside of the superconducting state(s) of this unique material.

This highlight focuses on the development of new thermometry required to study quantum materials and phenomena in high magnetic fields and at ultralow temperatures. The team has demonstrated that exceedingly small quartz tuning forks bathed in liquid 3He maintain a constant calibration that is magnetic field independent, thereby opening the use of these devices as new sensors of the response of quantum systems.

An insect's ability to survive anaerobic conditions (without oxygen) during winter pupation occurs through periodic cycling of aerobic respiration pathways needed to recharge energy and clear waste. The cellular mechanisms at play during these brief near-arousal periods can provide clues to help improve the success in storage and transplant of human organs.

Researchers demonstrate a new record magnetoresistance in graphene by improving the contacting method, which helps improve our understanding of the material and can be useful in future sensors, compasses and other applications.

Superconductors conduct large amounts of electricity without losses. They are also used to create very large magnetic fields, for example in MRI machines, to study materials and medicine. Here, researchers developed a fast, new "smart" technique to measure how much current a superconductor can carry using very high pulsed magnetic fields.

Physics does not yet know why copper-based superconductors (cuprates) conduct electrical current without dissipation at unprecedentedly high temperatures. Ultra high magnetic fields are used here to suppress superconductivity in a cuprate near absolute zero temperature, revealing an underlying transition to an electronic phase that might be the cause of the superconductivity.

In everyday life, phase transitions - like when water boils and turns into steam or freezes and becomes ice -  are caused by changes in temperature. Here, very high magnetic fields are used to reveal a quantum phase transition not caused by temperature, but instead driven by quantum mechanics upon changing the concentration of electrons, work that could hold critical clues that explain high-temperature superconductivity.

A defining experimental signature of a crossover in the strength of the pairing interactions from the weak coupling BCS to the strong coupling Bose-Einstein condensation limit has been discovered in high temperature superconductors.

Using pulses of far-infrared light and large magnetic fields, we directly measured the cyclotron resonance of charge carriers in a high-temperature superconductor for the first time, providing a new measure of their mass.

Pulsed magnetic fields of up to 75 T were applied at many different angles to a newly discovered metal, CsV₃Sb₅, in temperatures down to 0.5 K. Unusual oscillations in the metal’s electrical conductivity were found, giving definitive evidence of Chern pockets, a key indicator of a quantum mechanical property known as topology. Topology promises to be invaluable in future electronic devices that will work on completely new quantum principles.

Researchers from the Max-Planck Institute for Chemistry and the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory at Los Alamos developed a groundbreaking method to perform tunneling spectroscopy measurements under ultra-high pressures, revealing superconducting properties in elemental sulfur. This advancement allows for the detailed study of materials that exhibit superconductivity under extreme pressures, which is essential for the development of next-generation superconductors.

MagLab scientists and engineers have developed a special coating on Bi-2212 superconducting wire for electrical insulation in superconducting magnets that will enable the wire to be used in ultra-high field nuclear magnetic resonance magnets.

Tests of high-temperature superconducting REBCO tapes at 4.2 K showed resistance to cyclic loading, demonstrating that it is a promising material for designing HTS magnets of the future.

Tests of the first Integrated Coil Form test coil wound using REBCO superconducting tape show promise for use in ultra powerful magnets of the future.

A recent test coil with more than 1300 meters of conductor successfully demonstrated a new winding technique for insulated REBCO technology and was fatigue cycled to high strain for hundreds of cycles. This is the MagLab's first "two-in-hand" wound coil and the first fatigue cycling test of a coil of this size, both of which are very important milestones on the path to a 40T user magnet.

A new device enables the testing of superconducting cables to high current without the high helium consumption associated with traditional current leads. This superconducting transformer will play an important role in testing cables needed for next-generation superconducting magnets.

A 19 T high-field magnet made with REBCO high-temperature superconductor, but without electrical insulation, was tested to see if it is a viable design option for a future 40 T all-superconducting magnet.

A test protocol has been developed and successfully demonstrated the ability to evaluate the performance of a large percentage of tape in a REBCO-wound double pancake module. 

High-temperature superconducting test coils have been subjected to extreme combined loads from high, cyclic pressure and electro-magnetic forces to understand the structural limits of the materials that will be used to make a 40 T all-superconducting magnet.

Because of such desirable properties as high mechanical strength and electrical conductivity, Cu–Ag nano-structured sheets are used, not only in high field DC magnets, but also in the insert for our 45 T hybrid magnet. Because the property anisotropy of these sheets must be considered in these applications, we have now further studied this anisotropic behavior, evaluated the strain-hardening or strain-softening capacity of these sheets, and correlated this capacity with their microstructure.

Recent measurements of superconducting tapes in the MagLab's 45-tesla hybrid magnet shows that the power function dependence of current on magnetic field remains valid up to 45T in liquid helium, while for magnetic field in the plane of the tape conductor, almost no magnetic field dependence is observed. Thus design of ultra-high-field magnets capable of reaching 50T and higher is feasible using the latest high-critical current density REBCO tape.

To increase the rate of particle collisions in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, new powerful magnets will soon be made from Nb₃Sn superconducting wires. Here, researchers report a change to the heat-treatment temperature to optimize Nb₃Sn superconducting magnet performance.

Small additions of elemental Hafnium boosts current-carrying capability in Nb3Sn superconductor.

High field superconductor magnets greater than 10 T made from brittle Nb₃Sn superconducting wires need special attention to their assembly, strength and endurance. This new study of damage in Nb₃Sn superconducting wire from prototype accelerator coils built at CERN provides a path to designing better superconductor cables for the next generation of higher field accelerator magnets.

Researchers working to push the high temperature superconducting material (Bi-2212) to the forefront of superconducting magnet technology have used novel characterization methods to understand the complex relationship between its processing and its superconducting properties, specifically its current carrying capabilities. 

Researchers studied the mechanics of supercurrent flow in state-of-the-art Bi-2212 superconducting round wires and learned that the microstructure of the superconducting filaments is inherently resilient, work that could open the door to new opportunities to raise supercurrent capacity of Bi-2212 round wires.

Large superconducting magnets need multi-conductor cables, which act like multi-lane freeways to allow electricity to switch lanes if one gets blocked. Here cross-sectional images of CORC wires reveal insights to improve the contact between conductors. 

New work on round wires made with Bi-2212, a superconducting material, feature efficiency and performance that could enable the next generation of powerful magnets. Magnets made with these Bi-2212 round wires will enable nuclear fusion energy efforts, along with other applications where superconducting magnets are frequently charged and discharged during regular operation.

High magnetic fields are essential for many exciting scientific and industrial applications including next-generation MRI, particle accelerators, fusion, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Here, a Bi-2212 high-temperature superconducting test coil demonstrated robust operation up to 34T, expanding the options for future magnet development pathways. 

High temperature superconducting magnets offer tremendous potential for technological advancements and scientific discoveries, making them essential in various aspects of modern society. This work focuses on a milestone in mechanical reinforcement and overall operation of a Bi-2212 magnet.

We demonstrated the ability to measure transport critical current dependencies Ic(B,T) of full-width REBCO tapes, giving direct feedback about properties for particular growth conditions. Tape manufacturer SuperPower Inc. was able to improve its conductor with this data quickly. Also, we gave a broad data set to magnet designers to improve their technology, which could one day lead to an abundant source of energy from nuclear fusion reactions.

Made with high-temperature superconductors, the National MagLab's newest instrument shatters a world record and opens new frontiers in science.

Lance Cooley, an expert in the field of applied superconductivity, will join the lab this summer.

The DOE effort foresees a slew of health, environmental and safety applications.

The National Science Foundation announces five-year funding grant for continued operation of the world’s most powerful magnet lab.

Lance Cooley brings cool plans for developing superconducting materials and magnets.

"GAP" award will help further breakthrough treatment system for next-generation superconducting magnets.

A material already known for its unique behavior is found to carry current in a way never before observed.

With funding from the National Science Foundation, scientists and engineers will determine the best way to build a new class of record-breaking instruments.

With a twist and a squeeze, researchers discover a new method to manipulate the electrical conductivity of this game-changing "wonder material."

State-of-the-art instrument will be used in materials and next-generation magnet research.

In a hydrogen-packed compound squeezed to ultra-high pressures, scientists have observed electrical current with zero resistance tantalizingly close to room temperature.

The compact coil could lead to a new generation of magnets for biomedical research, nuclear fusion reactors and many applications in between.

Emergence of unusual metallic state supports role of "charge stripes" in formation of charge-carrier pairs essential to resistance-free flow of electrical current.

In a uranium-based compound once dismissed as boring, scientists watched superconductivity arise, perish, then return to life under the influence of high magnetic fields.

The successful test of concept shows that the novel design, using a high-temperature superconductor, could help power tomorrow's particle accelerators, fusion machines and research magnets.

Grant from the U.S. Department of Energy will further research that will help make the next generation of high-energy particle accelerators.

David Larbalestier is the first Florida State faculty member ever to receive the honor.

A story of synergistic science showcases how theory and experimental research teamed up to yield first direct evidence of the nature of superconductivity in a promising material called magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene.

Made with high-temperature superconductors, the National MagLab's newest instrument offers researchers strength and stability to explore quantum materials.

New research to understand how processing impacts bismuth-based superconducting wires could help power future magnets or particle accelerators.

The world's next most powerful superconducting magnet will be designed at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory.

New research has potential applications in quantum computing and introduces a new way to measure the secrets of superconductivity.

MagLab users have discovered that magnetism is key to understanding the behavior of electrons in high-temperature superconductors.

Game-changing technology may hold the key to ever-stronger magnets needed by scientists.

No insulation? No problem! In fact, by challenging the conventions of magnet making, MagLab engineers created a first-of-its-kind magnet that has only just begun to make records.

A new record for a trapped field in a superconductor could herald the arrival of materials in a broad range of fields.

The new superconducting material, called potassium tantalate, is capable of withstanding substantial magnetic fields.

Researchers now have a better understanding of how even a slight tug changes the marvel material.

The award recognizes those who've had an "outstanding, widespread, and lasting impact on the teaching of physics."

A team of MagLab scientists has been working on the superconducting wires for new electromagnets that will improve physics research at the Large Hadron Collider.

Dr. Amm to oversee world's largest and highest-powered magnet lab. 

Two scientists put their heads together and created a machine that speeds along magnet production.

Looking for ways to make better superconductors for the next-generation particle accelerators, a young scientist homed in on how they were heat-treated. He was getting warmer.

MagLab experts fine-tuned a furnace for pressure-cooking a novel superconducting magnet. Now they're about to build its big brother.

Several materials are in the running to build the next generation of superconducting magnets. Which will emerge the victor?

What's it like to be a remote user at the National MagLab? Learn from this frequent MagLab user who performed experiments on the 32T from across the country. 

Nicolas Doiron-Leyraud of Canada's Université de Sherbrooke talks about his recent experiments on cuprate superconductors, why he chose physics over philosophy, and what makes the MagLab a great place to do science.

One of the best tools for testing new materials for the next generation of research magnets is a MagLab magnet.

Two researchers play with nanostructures in a fun, fertile physics playground: the space between two things.

Hired in 2015 as chief scientist, this eminent physicist brings a dynamic array of talents to the MagLab.