Quantum geometry and flat bands towards room temperature superconductivity

Principal investigator: Floriana Lombardi, Department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience, Chalmers
Co-investigators: Annica Black-Schaffer Materials Theory, Ulf Gran and Sergey Kubatkin (Chalmers) and Johannes Hofmann (GU)

Project Description

The quest for room-temperature superconductivity is considered a holy grail of modern physics. Not only would it contribute to solving many of today’s energy challenges but also facilitate the integration of quantum computers into society.

The most promising material so far has been a high-temperature superconductor (HTS) based on copper oxide. However, the complex electron correlations and lack of tunability have hindered further progress. Recently, an exciting discovery was made when the much simpler material, bilayer graphene, exhibited superconducting properties. By twisting two layers of graphene at a “magic angle,” a moiré pattern is created, featuring a flat band and strong electron correlations, which in turn give rise to superconductivity.

In her research project, Floriana Lombardi aims to explore how these moiré patterns and quantum metrics can be used to design the band structure and create flat bands in both high-temperature superconductors and graphene.

“By combining these two material platforms, we hope to increase our understanding of the principles behind high-temperature superconductivity and promote superconductivity at higher temperatures, ultimately aiming to achieve room-temperature superconductivity,” says Floriana Lombardi, professor of Quantum Device Physics at Chalmers University of Technology.