pair density waves

Researchers report that Cooper pairs, the paired electron states that enable superconductivity, have been detected at temperatures above the superconducting critical temperature in pair density waves. The finding suggests pairing can persist beyond the point where superconductivity vanishes, offering new clues about the transition into the superconducting state and the mechanisms behind unconventional superconductors.

Physicists report finding Cooper pairs surviving above the critical temperature at which a material normally becomes superconducting. The pairs appear within pair density waves, a modulated electronic state, and the discovery is likened to the Cheshire Cat's grin: superconductivity's signature lingering without the superconducting phase itself. The finding challenges assumptions about how the superconducting transition works and may reshape understanding of high-temperature superconductors.