Superconductors articles within Nature Materials

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• Letter | 15 July 2012

  Long-range transfer of electron–phonon coupling in oxide superlattices

  The interaction between electrons and phonons is important for many materials properties. The finding that phonon modes of a superconducting thin film can influence the properties of an adjacent normal conductor, even over comparatively long distances, suggests new ways of controlling electron–phonon interactions.

  • N. Driza
  • , S. Blanco-Canosa
  •  & B. Keimer

• News & Views | 23 September 2011

  An X-ray oxygen regulator

  X-ray illumination can be used to control the arrangement of oxygen atoms in cuprate superconductors, allowing the writing of regions of robust high-transition-temperature superconductivity.

  • Peter Littlewood

• Letter | 18 September 2011

  Kinetic frustration and the nature of the magnetic and paramagnetic states in iron pnictides and iron chalcogenides

  Iron-based superconductors all share the same building blocks. So why do local magnetic properties vary from one compound to another? A new theoretical model explains the variation in physical properties and links it to the structural differences, providing a description for a wide range of materials.

  • Z. P. Yin
  • , K. Haule
  •  & G. Kotliar

• Letter | 28 February 2010

  Template engineering of Co-doped BaFe₂As₂ single-crystal thin films

  While superconductivity experts investigate the fundamental properties of iron pnictides, it is worth wondering whether the properties of these materials are good enough for applications. A strategy for growing high-quality BaFe₂As₂ thin films shows that the use of an appropriate buffer layer allows very high critical currents to be reached.

  • S. Lee
  • , J. Jiang
  •  & C. B. Eom