Reentrant superconductivity may revise magnetism

17 Jun 2002

Magnetism destroys superconductivity. Physicists take that premise as gospel. But according to a 1986 theory initially considered outlandish, superconductivity should reappear in a material if it is oriented precisely in line with a very high magnetic field. New experiments conducted by.University at Buffalo physicists have demonstrated the strongest evidence yet for this strange and extremely promising phenomenon, called reentrant superconductivity.

"If this phenomenon exists, it means the complete opposite of everything that is known about superconductivity and magnetism," said Michael Naughton, Ph.D., associate professor of physics and chemistry at UB and lead investigator. The research is described in a paper to published in the recent Physical Review Letters.