原子级台阶可引导超导体量子涡旋运动

日本国立材料科学研究所的研究人员发现，原子级微小台阶能够像轨道一样引导超导体内的量子涡旋运动 1。由武市隆主导的研究团队利用扫描隧道显微镜在原子级别观察了涡旋位置，证实在特定磁场条件下，量子涡旋沿着原子台阶移动的速度比横向移动快1000多倍 1。

研究发现，当磁场范围约为0.10至0.20特斯拉时，涡旋可以沿着台阶自由流动而不会被缺陷困住 1。仅有一个原子高度的微小台阶可以有效控制和引导超导体中的量子行为，这可能为开发更高效的超导电子器件奠定基础 1。该研究已发表在《Physical Review B》期刊2026年第114卷第5期 1。

Researchers at Japan's National Institute for Materials Science have discovered that atomic-sized steps can act as tracks to direct the movement of quantum vortices within superconductors 1. The team, led by Takashi Uchihashi, found that quantum vortices travel more than 1,000 times faster along atomic steps than they do perpendicular to them 1. Using scanning tunneling microscopy to observe vortex positions at the atomic level, the researchers demonstrated that within a specific magnetic field range of approximately 0.10 to 0.20 Tesla, vortices can flow freely along the steps without becoming trapped by material defects 1.

This breakthrough, published in Physical Review B, Volume 114, Issue 5 in 2026, suggests that atomic-scale structures measuring just one atom in height could serve as quantum highways 1. The findings may pave the way for developing more efficient superconducting electronic devices by enabling better control over vortex behavior 1.