The QAMSS Strategic Research Initiative was delighted to welcome Professor F. Malte Grosche from the Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, for this week’s QAMSS Advanced Technology Lecture titled “Prospecting for Unconventional Superconductors.”
Professor Grosche is a leading figure in the study of correlated electron systems and quantum materials. After completing his undergraduate and PhD studies at Cambridge, he held research positions at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids in Dresden and Royal Holloway, University of London, before rejoining the Cavendish in 2007. His Quantum Matter Group focuses on uncovering new quantum phenomena through precision experiments under extreme conditions of temperature, pressure, and magnetic field.
In his lecture, Professor Grosche discussed the search for new superconductors that go beyond conventional, phonon-mediated mechanisms. He began by highlighting the breakthrough discovery of superconductivity in superhydrides near room temperature under extreme pressure, demonstrating the potential of phonon-based pairing. He then turned to unconventional superconductors, which rely on strong electronic interactions—often linked to magnetism—that can produce coupling strengths equivalent to several thousand Kelvin.
These materials, he explained, have the potential to revolutionise technologies ranging from MRI magnets and fusion reactors to lossless power transmission, quantum computing, and low-power electronics. However, unconventional superconductivity remains rare and difficult to predict. Using heuristic principles based on proximity to magnetic order, Professor Grosche’s team has identified several new superconductors, including YFe₂Ge₂, LuFe₂Ge₂, and CeSb₂, grown in Cambridge with exceptional crystal quality.
The talk also explored the intricate interplay of competing interactions, disorder, and structural transitions in quantum materials, and how these factors can both complicate and guide the discovery of new superconducting states. Recent high-pressure and quantum oscillation measurements in compounds such as (Y/Lu)Fe₂Ge₂, CeSb₂, and UTe₂ showcased the opportunities and challenges in the ongoing search for novel superconductors.
Professor Grosche’s lecture offered an inspiring glimpse into the frontier of condensed matter research, where precision experiments and creative insights continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in quantum materials science.
