Scientists turn common semiconductor into a superconductor
A team has made germanium, a key semiconductor, superconducting by precisely integrating gallium atoms into its crystal lattice.
For decades, researchers have tried to create semiconductor materials that can also act as superconductors -- materials capable of carrying electric current without resistance. Semiconductors, which form the foundation of modern computer chips and solar cells, could operate far faster and more efficiently if they also possessed superconducting abilities. Yet turning materials like silicon and germanium into superconductors has remained a major challenge, largely because it requires maintaining a delicate atomic arrangement that allows electrons to move freely. A global team of scientists has now achieved what once seemed out of reach. In a new study published in Nature Nanotechnology, they report creating a form of germanium that exhibits superconductivity. This means it can conduct electricity with zero resistance, allowing electric currents to circulate endlessly without losing energy. Such behavior could dramatically boost the performance of electronic and quantum devices while reducing power consumption.
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