Experimental consequences of predicted charge rigidity of superconductors

TL;DR

This paper discusses how the predicted extreme charge rigidity in superconductors, according to hole superconductivity theory, should cause observable changes in plasmon behavior and explain several puzzling experimental phenomena, challenging conventional theories.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of vastly increased charge rigidity in superconductors and links it to unexplained experimental results, proposing new physical effects not accounted for by traditional BCS theory.

Findings

Predicted large changes in plasmon dispersion relations in superconductors.

Explains anomalous electric dipole moments in small metal clusters.

Suggests increased electric screening length at low temperatures.

Abstract

The theory of hole superconductivity predicts that in superconductors the charged superfluid is about a million times more rigid than the normal electron fluid. We point out that this physics should give rise to large changes in the bulk and surface plasmon dispersion relations of metals entering the superconducting state, that have not yet been experimentally detected and would be in stark contradiction with the expected behavior within conventional BCS-London theory. We also propose that this explains the puzzling experimental observations of Avramenko et al\cite{sound} on electron sound propagation in superconductors and the puzzling experiments of W. de Heer et al\cite{clusters} detecting large electric dipole moments in small metal clusters, as well as the Tao effect\cite{tao} on aggregation of superconducting microparticles in an electric field. Associated with the enhanced charge rigidity is a large increase in the electric screening length of superconductors at low temperatures that has not yet been experimentally detected. The physical origin of the enhanced charge rigidity and its relation to other aspects of the theory of hole superconductivity is discussed.