© IFP

Our interest is in the study of novel electronic materials and concepts.We are concerned with the phenomenon of superconductivity, the complete disappearance of the electrical resistance of a material upon cooling. This phenomenon occurs in so-called high-temperature superconductors at a delicate balance between specific material properties, disorder, and a large number of competing electronic phases. This makes it difficult to identify the exact mechanisms responsible for superconductivity. As a result, the available theoretical models dealing with high-temperature superconductors are fundamentally different and require further verification - both at the theoretical and experimental levels.

Our main focus is on cuprates, the family of copper oxides, whose high transition temperature makes them particularly well suited for our experiments and future engineering applications. Cuprates are high-temperature superconductors - materials that become superconducting at around 135 Kelvin - about minus 135° Celsius. We want to understand why these materials exhibit superconductivity and, how to manipulate them appropriately to use room temperature superconductors in the future.