Stable superconductors? It all depends on the substrate

Quantum materials research has reached a significant breakthrough thanks to a study demonstrating how substrate choice can determine the success or failure of creating stable superconducting components. The work, conducted by NYU Tandon in collaboration with Brookhaven National Laboratory and led by Professor Davood Shahrjerdi, reveals fundamental principles for substrate design that could revolutionize the scalability of quantum hardware. "Achieving pure-phase superconducting films requires careful attention to the substrate-film interface ," Shahrjerdi said. "Our results demonstrate that substrate design is an integral part of the synthesis process.”