Kyung Hee University Professor Jongsoo Lee's Team Discovers Superconducting Magnetic Energy Amplification

A New Principle in Solid-State Physics
World's First Discovery

Kyung Hee University announced on March 18 that the research team led by Professor Jongsoo Lee of the Department of Applied Physics has, for the first time in the world, discovered a giant negative spin-polarized superconducting phenomenon that amplifies magnetic energy.

From the left, Jongsoo Lee, Professor of Applied Physics at Kyung Hee University, Dr. Ramatul Hidayati, and Jinhee Kim, Research Professor. Kyung Hee University

This achievement is being recognized not only as capturing new application possibilities for quantum computers, but also as a discovery of a novel phenomenon that may require the rewriting of solid-state physics textbooks. The research results have been published as a cover article in the international journal for materials, "Advanced Functional Materials" (IF=19).

Superconductors are materials whose electrical resistance drops to zero, allowing electric currents to flow without any loss, and exhibit the Meissner effect, which expels all externally applied magnetic fields. As a result, superconductors can levitate above magnets.

This levitation phenomenon occurs due to the characteristic of 100% negative magnetization in superconductors. However, Professor Lee's research team discovered that the negative magnetization of superconductors can exceed 120%. Traditionally, solid-state physics textbooks state that it is impossible to accumulate magnetic energy greater than the energy of an external magnetic field. Regarding this, Professor Lee explained, "We have demonstrated that, under specific principles, it is possible to surpass the limitations described in conventional textbooks."

The research team discovered the ultra-giant negative magnetization phenomenon in iron-based high-entropy alloy superconductors and conducted collaborative research with Professors Jim Jihoon and Kim Jihoon of POSTECH to identify the underlying cause.

Through various experimental and theoretical methods, the team revealed a unique phenomenon in which the internal spins of the superconductor align in the direction opposite to that of the externally applied magnetic field.

Due to this property, they confirmed that superconductivity not only expels 100% of the external magnetic field, but also, combined with the magnetization property of spins aligning in the opposite direction to the field, leads to magnetic energy being accumulated at levels exceeding 120%.

Professor Lee stated, "This is a new and astonishing discovery regarding superconducting phenomena," and added, "Because it is related to the discovery of the so-called 'Majorana superconductivity,' which is considered a dream in physics, it is expected to be applicable to quantum computers as well."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.