Hidden Magnetic Order Unveiled in Quantum Simulator, Bringing Room-Temperature Superconductivity Closer

Date: February 10, 2026

Category: Physics

In a groundbreaking study, an international team of physicists has discovered a crucial link between magnetism and the enigmatic "pseudogap" state, a finding that could pave the way for practical, room-temperature superconductors. This discovery, detailed in a recent publication in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, utilized cutting-edge quantum simulation techniques.

Superconductors, materials that allow electricity to flow without resistance, hold immense potential for revolutionizing technology, from lossless power grids to powerful magnets for levitating trains and advanced medical imaging. However, most superconductors only function at extremely low temperatures, making them costly and difficult to deploy widely. The ultimate goal is to achieve superconductivity at ambient conditions—hence the intense focus on understanding the mechanisms that precede the superconducting state.

The key to this new finding lies in the "pseudogap," an unusual phase of matter that appears in some quantum materials just before they become superconducting. While electrons in these materials exhibit strange behaviors during the pseudogap phase, its exact nature has puzzled scientists for decades. The new research, conducted by a collaboration between the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics in Germany and theorists from the Simons Foundation's Flatiron Institute in New York, reveals that a subtle, hidden form of magnetic order persists even when the material appears disordered.

"It is remarkable that quantum analog simulators based on ultracold atoms can now be cooled down to temperatures where intricate quantum collective phenomena show up," said Antoine Georges, director of the Center for Computational Quantum Physics at the Flatiron Institute and a co-author of the study.

To investigate, the team used the Fermi-Hubbard model, a theoretical framework describing electron interactions, and recreated it using lithium atoms cooled to near absolute zero. These ultracold atoms were arranged in an optical lattice using laser light, allowing scientists to simulate complex material behaviors inaccessible to conventional solid-state experiments. By employing a quantum gas microscope capable of imaging individual atoms and their magnetic orientation, the researchers captured over 35,000 detailed snapshots, mapping magnetic correlations across different temperatures and doping levels. These observations pointed directly to the hidden magnetic order within the pseudogap.

"By revealing the hidden magnetic order in the pseudogap, we are uncovering one of the mechanisms that may ultimately be related to superconductivity," explained Thomas Chalopin, lead author from the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics.

The implications are significant. Understanding this magnetic influence on the pseudogap brings scientists closer to manipulating materials to achieve superconductivity at much higher, practical temperatures. This work also underscores the importance of combining precise theoretical predictions with cutting-edge experimental techniques.

"This international effort brought together experimental and theoretical expertise, and future experiments aim to cool the system even further, search for additional forms of order, and develop new ways to observe quantum matter from fresh perspectives," added Georges.

Hidden Magnetic Order Unveiled in Quantum Simulator, Bringing Room-Temperature Superconductivity Closer

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