Photons that aren’t actually there influence superconductivity
Summary
Ars Technica reports that virtual photons in boron nitride can influence the superconductivity of a κ-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu[N(CN)2]Br system, suppressing superconductivity rather than enhancing it. The study uses a layered boron nitride structure to couple to molecular vibrations and demonstrates a way to probe superconducting mechanisms with light that isn’t actually there. While not immediately practical, the work offers new insight into how quantum field effects can tune material properties and could inform future quantum materials research.