Brian Møller Andersen receives grant from the Carlsberg Foundation

Brian Møller Andersen, associate professor in the research group, Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics has received a grant of 3.2 million kroner from the Carlsberg Foundation. Foto: Ola Jakup Joensen

Superconducting materials have the fascinating property that their electrical resistance disappears when they are cooled down below a certain temperature – often close to absolute zero, which is minus 273 C. However, new substances have been discovered that are superconducting at much higher temperatures.

“We have theoretically identified new solids with a so-called topological superconducting phase. That the phase is topological means that the electronic properties of the substance have characteristics that are stable and do not change, even if the form of the electric states changes. This superconducting phase is characterised by unique surface states, called Majorana modes with properties that make them ideal for building blocks for future fail-safe quantum computers,” explains Brian Møller Andersen.

The project focuses on significant challenges in the area of quantum materials with special focus on superconductors and quantum magnetism, and topological superconductors are in high demand.

“Naturally occurring topological superconductors are rare and we will therefore both propose and explore new specially produced topological superconductor systems as well as develop new phases that exhibit integrated topological superconductivity. This research involves new studies on the effects of spin-orbit coupling, electron interactions and the coexistence of superconductivity and other forms of electron order,” explains Brian Møller Andersen.

The 3.2 million kroner from the Carlsberg Foundation’s Distinguished Associate Professor Fellowship will primarily be used for two PhD students.

Brian Møller Andersen, Associate Professor in the research group Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics, Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen, Email: bma@nbi.ku.dk, Telephone: +45 3532-0419