Neutron striking uranium ditelluride (IMAGE)

Rice University

Neutron striking uranium ditelluride

Caption

An artist’s impression of a neutron striking a sample of superconducting uranium ditelluride in experiments at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Crystals of uranium (dark gray) and tellurium (brown) are suspected of hosting spin-triplet superconductivity, a state marked by electron pairs with spins pointed in the same direction (blue). In neutron scattering experiments, incoming neutrons disrupt pairs by flipping one spin in the opposite direction (red), revealing telltale evidence of the pair’s quantum mechanical state.

Credit

Jill Hemman/ORNL

Usage Restrictions

Must credit: Jill Hemman/ORNL

License

Original 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.