Latest Inventions on Science & Technology Moiré Materials- superconductivity What is super conductors ? ▪ Definition: Superconductors are materials that can conduct electricity with zero resistance below a certain temperature. ▪ Critical Temperature (Tc): The specific temperature at which a superconductor's resistance drops to zero. ▪ Zero Resistance: Below the critical temperature, superconductors conduct electricity without any resistance. ▪ Low Energy State: Most materials must be in an incredibly low energy state (very cold) to become superconductive. ▪ Cooling Process: Currently, a significant amount of energy is required to cool materials to achieve superconductivity, making it uneconomical and inefficient. ▪ Research and Development: Studies are ongoing to design compounds that can become superconductive at higher temperatures, aiming to make superconductors more practical and cost-effective. ▪ Moiré Materials: Created by stacking two layers of the same material (e.g., graphene) and twisting one layer slightly, resulting in a unique moiré pattern. ▪ Superconductivity: Moiré materials made from semiconductors, like tungsten diselenide (tWSe₂), not just graphene ,This can also exhibit superconductivity, . ▪ Flat Bands: The twist in moiré materials leads to the formation of flat energy bands, causing electrons to move slowly and interact strongly. ▪ Cooper Pairs: Strong electron-electron interactions in flat bands lead to the formation of Cooper pairs, essential for superconductivity and zero resistance. Recent Study: tWSe₂ with a twist angle of 3.65º showed superconductivity at a transition temperature of around –272.93º C when electronic states were half-filled. ▪ Stability: tWSe₂'s superconducting state is robust and more stable than graphene-based moiré materials, driven by electron-electron interactions and half-band filling. ▪ Insulating State: The moiré material can transition to an insulating state by altering its electronic properties. Palpares contrarius ▪ Researchers identified Palpares contrarius on the Madras Christian College (MCC) campus, a new species of antlion in Tamil Nadu, which…
