Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology believe they have spotted signs of a triplet superconductor in the niobium-rhenium alloy NbRe. This material could transmit both electricity and electron spin without resistance, potentially advancing quantum computing. The finding, if confirmed, might stabilize quantum devices and reduce their energy consumption.
Professor Jacob Linder, a physicist at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology's Department of Physics and part of the QuSpin research center, led a study suggesting the existence of a triplet superconductor. "We think we may have observed a triplet superconductor," Linder stated. The research, co-authored with collaborators in Italy, was published in Physical Review Letters and highlighted as an editor's recommendation.
Triplet superconductors differ from conventional singlet types because their particles carry spin, allowing the transmission of both electrical and spin currents with zero resistance. This property could enable information processing in spintronics without energy loss as heat, addressing a key challenge in quantum technology: performing operations with high accuracy. "One of the major challenges in quantum technology today is finding a way to perform computer operations with sufficient accuracy," Linder explained.
The alloy NbRe, made of rare metals niobium and rhenium, exhibited properties inconsistent with conventional superconductors. Experiments showed superconductivity at 7 Kelvin, a relatively high temperature in this field, compared to near 1 Kelvin for other candidates. "Our experimental research demonstrates that the material behaves completely differently from what we would expect for a conventional singlet superconductor," Linder added.
However, confirmation is pending. "It is still too early to conclude once and for all whether the material is a triplet superconductor," Linder noted, emphasizing the need for verification by other groups and additional tests. Triplet superconductors are seen as a "holy grail" in quantum technology, potentially leading to ultra-efficient devices. The journal reference is: F. Colangelo et al., Physical Review Letters, 2025; 135 (22).
