Broken Cooper Pairs (IMAGE) Brown University Caption A research team led by a Brown University physicist has produced new evidence for an exotic superconducting state, first predicted a half-century ago, that can arise when a superconductor is exposed to a strong magnetic field. Magnetism breaks electron Cooper pairs that enable superconductivity. The new research shows that those unpaired electrons congregate into discrete bands along the superconducting material. Those bands remain capable of conducting supercurrent. Credit Vesna Mitrovic / Brown University Usage Restrictions None License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.