About Demon Particle:
- The demon particle was first predicted by theoretical physicist David Pines in 1956.
- Pines theorised that electrons passing through a solid would exhibit unique behaviours and that these behaviours could lead to the formation of a new type of particle that he called a "demon particle."
- They are massless, chargeless, and transparent to light.
- They are also able to form plasmons, which are collective units of electrons that behave like waves.
- Plasmons are important in superconductivity, and the discovery of demon particles could lead to the development of new superconducting materials that operate at room temperature.
What is Superconductivity?
- It is a phenomenon whereby a charge moves through a material without resistance.
- In theory, this allows electrical energy to be transferred between two points with perfect efficiency, losing nothing to heat.
- It was first discovered in 1911 by Dutch physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes when he observed the sudden drop in electrical resistance of mercury at extremely low temperatures.
- Superconductivity is generally observed at very low temperatures, often close to absolute zero (0 Kelvin or -273.15°C).
- Meissner-Ochsenfeld Effect:
- Superconductors expel magnetic fields from their interior when they enter the superconducting state.
- This effect, known as the Meissner-Ochsenfeld effect, causes the superconductor to repel magnetic fields, leading to the phenomenon of magnetic levitation.
- When a magnet is brought near a superconductor in its superconducting state, it will float above the superconductor due to this repulsion.
