Researchers at the Research Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), under the National Institute for Materials Science in Japan, have directly visualized how atomic steps on an ultrathin superconductor can guide quantum vortices, effectively creating nanoscale “rails” for their movement. The team reports vortices moved more than 1,000 times more easily along these atomic steps compared to across them at intermediate magnetic fields, a dramatic difference in mobility.
Takashi Uchihashi explained, “Our study shows that atomic-scale steps can act as effective rails that guide superconducting vortices, and that this guiding effect can be tuned simply by changing the temperature or magnetic field.” Published July 30, 2026, in Physical Review B, these findings demonstrate a new method for controlling vortex motion and heat flow in future superconducting technologies.
Atomic Steps Enable Tunable Superconducting Vortex Flow
Atomic steps function as directional guides for quantum vortices within ultrathin superconductors, a phenomenon revealed through scanning tunneling microscopy. The imaging directly showed vortices aligning with these steps, demonstrating a physical mechanism for controlling their movement and confirming the steps act as nanoscale “rails” for these quantum objects. This significant difference in mobility suggests a pathway toward more efficient superconducting devices, and the ability to tune vortex flow with external conditions further enhances the potential of this discovery.
Between approximately 0.10 and 0.20 Tesla, vortices exhibited unimpeded flow along the steps, a state the researchers describe as one-dimensional pinning-free vortex flow. At lower temperatures, however, quantum tunneling governed vortex motion, demonstrating a shift in the dominant mechanism. This control over vortex behavior opens possibilities for managing heat flow in future superconducting technologies, a critical factor in minimizing energy loss.
The research, published in Physical Review B on July 30, 2026, details work conducted by a team including Wenxuan Qian, Yash Chauhan, Ryohei Nemoto, Keisuke Sagisaka, Shunsuke Yoshizawa, and Takashi Uchihashi.
Our study shows that atomic-scale steps can act as effective rails that guide superconducting vortices, and that this guiding effect can be tuned simply by changing the temperature or magnetic field.
Takashi Uchihashi, from Research Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), National Institute for Materials Science
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