Physics in Canada / La Physique au Canada - 2011 (67.2)

Superconductivity in the subatomic realm

Author(s)
David Sénéchal
Institution
Université de Sherbrooke

An attractive interaction between fermions causes the formation of pairs, and the latter's condensation leads to superconductivity if the fermions are charged, or superfluidity if they are not. This mechanism applies to nuclear particles (neutrons and protons, and maybe even quarks) inside neutron stars, and has bearing on the theory of fundamental interactions.