Physics of Superconductivity and Magnetism

Small mechanical stress raises superconductivity in a stripe-ordered crystal

Researchers found that modest in-plane mechanical stress greatly increased superconductivity in lanthanum-barium copper oxide at the 1/8 doping level, where stripe order normally suppresses bulk superconductivity. The material reached zero resistance at 37 kelvin, while the transition began at up to 46 kelvin.