Computing
Hvordan Superledende 3D-Print Fremmer Kvantecomputing
Nanoscale Manufacturing: Bygger Fremtiden Atom for Atom
As scientists developed an increasing mastery over the material world, more and more precision is expected from our manufacturing process. From crudely forging metal in forges, we are now controlling individual atoms to form advanced sensors, transistors, etc.
En anden konsekvens af dette stigende kontrolniveau er muligheden for grundlæggende at ændre et materiales egenskaber. Vi er nu bekendt med, hvordan et tyndt lag silicium kan fås til at “tænke” ved at omdanne det til en computerchip.
Andre ændringer er mulige, især ved at give materialer naturlige egenskaber, som de aldrig ville have spontant i naturen. En måde at gøre dette på er ved at ændre deres struktur på nanoskalalevel.
Forskere ved Max Planck Institute (Tyskland), Institute for Emerging Electronic Technologies (Tyskland) og University of Vienna (Østrig) har fundet, at de kan gøre et materiale til en superleder ved at ændre dets 3D‑konfiguration og bygge komplekse nanostrukturer.
De annoncerede deres opdagelse i Advanced Function Material1, under titlen “Reconfigurable Three-Dimensional Superconducting Nanoarchitectures”.
Hvorfor 3D‑Nanostrukturer er Nøglen til at Bryde 2D‑teknologigrænser
Many nanoscale systems are designed as simple 2D sheets, allowing scientists to manipulate them precisely.
However, the extension to three dimensions offers an opportunity to overcome fundamental limitations and achieve new functionalities.
For example, limitations in semiconductor miniaturization have meant that 2D devices no longer follow Moore’s law. Instead, the industry moved to 3D-stacked CMOS for higher device density and interconnectivity.
Similarly, in optics, 3D metamaterials offer new control over the properties of light, like broadband polarization or negative refractive indices, each with their own wide potential applications.
The same is now true with conductors and superconductors, with the building of a process working like a 3D nano printer, building structures not on a flat surface but in 3D.
Kvantemæssige Effekter i 3D Superledende Strukturer
Quantum particle physics theories have already predicted that 3D structures would behave very differently from 2D ones. This is especially true for superconductors, materials without any electrical resistance, where 3D structures were expected to allow for local control over superconducting vortices.
The discovery of this type of “magnetic vortex” was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2003, which was a key breakthrough in explaining how superconductivity works.
Kilde: Nobel Prize
3D structuring of superconducting material should also create entirely new quantum phenomena (like the “nodal state in a superconducting Möbius strip“) that researchers could then use to develop practical applications.
Hvordan Forskere Byggede en 3D Nanoprinter til Superledere
The researchers used 3D focused electron beam induced deposition (3D FEBID), a known method for building 3D nanostructures that has not been used for superconducting materials until now.
They built a pyramid-shaped structure with 4 nanoscopic filaments supporting each other. It is made of superconducting tungsten-carbide (W-C)
Kilde: Advanced Function Material
They then confirmed that the structure exhibits a sharp superconducting transition at around 5°K (-268°C / -450°F).
They then measured that the vortices can propagate along the structure in a 3D motion, and lead to a long-range transfer of information and voltage. The 3D structure also controlled the shape of the vortices.
Kilde: Advanced Function Material
Genkonfigurerbar Superledning med Magnetfelter
By changing the direction of a magnetic field, the superconducting characteristic could be essentially turned on and off at will, due to the shape of the vortices.
Kilde: Advanced Function Material
This allowed for the creation of a full superconducting (SC) 3D structure, only half superconducting, or fully with normal electrical resistance (N).
Kilde: Advanced Function Material
The possibility of creating different superconductivity states within the structure gets more interesting as these 3D structures can be built in series and linked together, using a system called Josephson weak links.
“Vi fandt, at det er muligt at tænde og slukke den superledende tilstand i forskellige dele af den tredimensionelle nanostruktur, blot ved at rotere strukturen i et magnetfelt.
I denne måde var vi i stand til at realisere en “genkonfigurerbar” superledende enhed!”.
This opens the way to building complex superconducting assemblies of individual subcomponents, such as nanoscopic suspended bridges.
Kilde: Advanced Function Material
Hvordan 3D Superledere Kan Revolutionere Sensorer og Kvantechips
While extremely impressive, it can at first be a little unclear how this mastery of nanoscale 3D printing of superconducting material can be used for real-world applications.
First, it is already known that the Josephson weak links can be used to create ultra-sensitive magnetic field sensors. Previously, such a system was required to be incorporated into the design of the 2D thin film and predetermined. With this reconfigurable system, an inherent advantage brought by the 3D structure is that much more precise and controllable measuring can be deployed.
Another field to benefit is superconductor-based computing, including energy-efficient neuromorphics and quantum computing. The increased interconnectivity and complexity offered by 3D geometries should help create more complex and powerful computing chips for these systems.
Ultimately, this could form the building blocks of multi-terminal 3D junctions and interconnected arrays of reconfigurable weak links. Together, these should radically change how a quantum computer can be made, moving beyond the current 2D systems. They should also be much more flexible, as the very hardware can be reconfigured.
Investering i Superledningsløsninger
American Superconductor Corporation: Investering i Virkelighedsnær Superledning
(AMSC )
AMSC is a company providing energy solutions for the power grid, ships, and wind energy. In general, the more power-hungry or massive a system is, the more it requires superconducting technology to avoid overheating.
Despite its name, ASMC provides not only superconductor systems but also, for example, gear drivetrains for wind turbines.
The company is riding multiple growth drivers, including the trend of electrification and digitalization (including AI datacenters), the reshoring of US manufacturing capacities, and the need for the Navies of the Anglosphere to modernize in response to growing geopolitical risks.
In the power supply segment, AMSC has seen a steady rise in orders. This was driven by semiconductor fabs looking to be protected from power grid fluctuations, helping the grid deal with the intermittent nature of renewables, and power supply & controls at industrial sites.
AMSC is mostly active with Electrical Control Systems (ECS) in the wind turbine segment. Historically, ESC was a strong segment for the company with the 2MW wind turbines, but it has progressively declined. AMSC aims for a rebound thanks to the new 3MW turbine design, with a special focus on the Indian market.
For military ships, ASMC provides the “AMSC’s High Temperature Superconductor Magnetic Mine Countermeasure,” a system to alter the magnetic signature of the ships to protect them from sea mines. This is sold to the US, Canadian, and UK navies, with $75M worth of orders so far.
Overall, ASMC is best at leveraging superconductor technology in niche applications that are viable today, while likely being ready to deploy further advances in the future.
Investors should also note that the stock has experienced extreme volatility in the past, and should calculate the risks accordingly.
Seneste American Superconductor Corporation (AMSC) Aktienyheder og Udviklinger
Studier Refereret:
1. Jiang, S., Xu, Y., Wang, R. et al.Strukturelt kompleks faseengineering muliggør hydrogen‑tolerante Al‑legeringer. Nature641, 358–364 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08879-2
