Communications of the ACM
A Surprising New Superconductor
An ultrathin layer of rhenium sandwiched between layers of gold, designed by a researcher at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences and colleagues at the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technologhy, can superconduct at t
Credit: D. Papas/NIST
Don David at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) in Boulder, CO, along with colleagues at the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), have described a process for producing an ultrathin layer of rhenium sandwiched between gold layers, each measuring 1/1000th the diameter of a human hair, that can superconduct at critical temperatures higher than 6 degrees Kelvin (-449 degrees Fahrenheit).
The electroplated rhenium is ideal for use in circuit boards for ultrafast, next-generation computing applications: superconducting at higher, easier-to-achieve critical temperatures; easy to work with mechanically; non-toxic, and having a high melting point.
This follows last year's discovery of the combination by CIRES and NIST researchers. The achievement represents a major step forward in the creation of the high-performance, superconducting computers of the future.
From Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences
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