SuperInsulators

PolyGirl · Post by **PolyGirl** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 12:07 pm

An interesting article from Physorg about SuperInsulators (the opposite of SuperConductors). The article title is:

Newly discovered 'superinsulators' promise to transform materials research, electronics design.

The link is SuperInsulators.

Regards
Polygirl

drmike · Post by **drmike** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 4:47 pm

That's really cool! Thanks for posting!

cuddihy · Post by **cuddihy** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 3:38 am

Ok, this is a question that I'm sure people who understand physics beyond the undergrad level (not me, except with astrodynamics) wouldn't need to ask, but if superconductance and superinsulation are physically possible, what about super-dialectrance?

Or is that just asking too much of your average Cooper pair?

MSimon · Post by **MSimon** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 4:13 am

A lot will depend on the field strength they can support.

Super conductors are rated by the amps / sq cm they can support.

Super insulators would be rated by the leakage current/(volt *cm).

Note that both effects are magnetic field dependent. High fields destroy both effects.

=======

Wrong equation for leakage.

(leakage current * cm)/volt

i.e. more cm = less leakage.

drmike · Post by **drmike** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 1:09 pm

Plasmas are already super-dielectrics. Look at the gas gate on a RADAR. It blocks high power from getting into the detector when the main pulse goes out, and lets the signals from the return pulse go thru easily when the main pulse is off. Ionization does the matching rather than cooper pairs.

MSimon · Post by **MSimon** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 1:58 pm

drmike wrote:Plasmas are already super-dielectrics. Look at the gas gate on a RADAR. It blocks high power from getting into the detector when the main pulse goes out, and lets the signals from the return pulse go thru easily when the main pulse is off. Ionization does the matching rather than cooper pairs.

Doesn't it have to do with the plasma shorting out the leakage when the plasma forms and letting the signal through when the plasma decays?

As I recall it also involved a 1/4 wave choke section. But it has been 45 years since I studied it and I'm a little (a lot) hazy on the details.

Details:

http://www.radartutorial.eu/06.antennas/an19.en.html

drmike · Post by **drmike** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 2:01 pm

Exactly! I'd call that a "super dielectric" - transparent at low power, reflective at high power. It's only been 15years since I got to play with it....