Scientists discover mechanism behind superinsulation
Monday, December 14, 2009 - 18:42
in Physics & Chemistry
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have discovered the microscopic mechanism behind the phenomenon of superinsulation, the ability of certain materials to completely block the flow of electric current at low temperatures. The essence of the mechanism is what the authors termed "multi-stage energy relaxation."