Superconductivity in symmetry-broken and low-dimensional systems

Recently, the advent of low-dimensional superconducting devices in which fundamental symmetries of nature can be controllably broken has put superconductivity again on the forefront of fundamental science and the development of quantum-compatible technologies. During this workshop we will address three recently opened or rediscovered exciting sub-fields of research into superconductivity and novel superconducting devices:

• Superconducting non-reciprocity
• Gate-tuned superconductors
• Layered systems and two-dimensional superconductivity

All three of these sub-fields have had breakthrough results in the last few years but their interconnectivities are yet to be explored. How related are their origins? Are their wholistic explanations? What can we learn about the fundamentals of superconductivity from looking at them together? Can the effects be combined? What devices and technologies can be enabled by them? What are the most important directions to investigate over the next 5-10 years? These are the questions and challenges we will address in this highly timely workshop.

During this week, we will exchange ideas with an aim to mesh contemporary understanding and establish the overarching challenges and outstanding questions in the field. Based on the discussions, we plan to identify key outstanding issues and distill them in a roadmap article during and after the workshop. All participants are invited and encouraged to contribute to the writing process of the roadmap, but participation is not obligatory. Besides, during the week we will record a YouTube video to directly engage with a non-expert broad audience including undergraduate students and science enthusiasts. We believe this is especially timely and important to do right now, given the exceptional controversies in our field in the last 2 years arising from widely reported unsubstantiated scientific claims, like those on LK-99. The format of the video will be a five to seven minute interview style discussion with the workshop’s participants.

This workshop is part of the WE Heraeus-Lorentz Collaboration and financed by the WE Heraeus foundation. More information HERE.