Resolving thermoelectric paradox in superconductors

TL;DR

This paper resolves a long-standing paradox in superconducting thermoelectricity by reconciling theory and experiment, opening new research and application opportunities.

Contribution

It provides a solution to the longstanding discrepancy between theoretical predictions and experimental results in superconducting thermoelectric effects.

Findings

Theoretical and experimental discrepancy is resolved.

New thermoelectric phenomena in superconductors are identified.

Potential for novel applications in superconducting technologies.

Abstract

For almost a century thermoelectricity in superconductors has been one of the most intriguing topics of physics. At the early stages in the 1920s, the mere existence of thermoelectric effects in superconductors was questioned. Theoretical breakthrough came in the 1970s, when the generation of a measurable thermoelectric magnetic flux in superconducting loops was predicted; however a major crisis developed when experiments showed a gross discrepancy with the theory. Moreover, different experiments disagreed with each other by orders of magnitude. This led to a stalemate in bringing theory and experiment into agreement. With this work we resolve this stalemate, thus solving this long-standing paradox and open prospects for exploration of novel thermoelectric phenomena and new avenues for practical applications of superconductors.