Harvard scientists have created three-layer graphene that operates at higher temperatures.
Graphene is a one-atom-thick layer of carbon atoms that is 200 times stronger than steel, yet extremely flexible and lighter than paper.
It is known to be a good conductor of heat and electric current, but it is difficult to handle. Now scientists at Harvard are reporting the successful stacking of three sheets of graphene. Then they twisted them to create a three-layer structure that is not only capable of superconductivity, but also has strength, and also works at higher temperatures.
The new and improved system is also sensitive to an external electric field, which allows you to tune the level of superconductivity by adjusting the strength of this field.
The three-layer system has shown that its superconductivity is due to strong interactions between electrons, not weak ones. If this is true, then these data could help pave the way not only to high-temperature superconductivity, but also possible applications in quantum computing.
The researchers plan to continue studying the nature of this unusual superconductivity in further research.
