Chapter 92: Another Explanation of Condensed Matter Physics
Qiao Sen brought Xu You to another laboratory.
"This is also our experimental group's place. You can practice well these few days. Once the materials are prepared, you can start the experiment. By the way, there are also your acquaintances here. If you have any questions, you can ask them without any hesitation."
"An acquaintance?" Xu You asked in surprise.
Xu You thought, he was just a freshman, how could he meet acquaintances in the laboratory?
"Hmm? Senior!"
Sure enough, after entering the laboratory, Xu You really found someone he knew.
It was Yuan Dong who guided their experiments when they were in the national training team for physics competition.
"Xu You? Why are you here?"
Yuan Dong was also very surprised to see Xu You.
"Ha, Teacher Qiao asked me to come over and study."
"Well, Yuan Dong, you are doing a condensed matter experiment, so let Xu You follow and learn. You two knew each other before, so you won't be too restrained with each other."
"Okay, I understand, Mr. Qiao."
After Qiao Sen left, Yuan Dong's expression suddenly changed.
"Xu You, are you sure you really need my teaching this time? You have published a paper in PRL. Don't call me senior anymore. Just call me Xiao Yuan."
Now, Yuan Dong no longer has the arrogant expression in front of Xu You that he had when he was in the national training team.
"Senior, you are joking. I really don't know anything about condensed matter. Just do your thing first. I will watch from the side. When you are not busy, I will ask you for advice later."
After hearing what Xu You said, Yuan Dong finally felt relieved.
"Well, it's true that you studied quantum physics before, which is very different from condensed matter. But I heard that you attended that conference last time. You are really awesome. Even Cao Quanli, the coach of the national physics team, was not invited. Your current status is really a bit outrageous."
"No, Teacher Wang just took me there. I just went there to learn something. It shouldn't have much to do with the project."
"Come on, with your outrageous ability, maybe the next generation of quantum computers will have to rely on you to create it. Be honest, what big project are you going to do this time?"
"Teacher Qiao asked me to learn some of the procedures for superconducting experiments."
Xu You knew that some things were not suitable to be discussed in detail, so he avoided some key topics.
"Okay, okay, I won't say anything. Then just watch carefully and ask me if you have any questions."
Yuan Dong knew that it was not appropriate for him to ask too many questions, so after joking with Xu You for a few words, he continued with his experiment.
Xu You watched Yuan Dong's operations and roughly understood what Yuan Dong was doing.
"Senior, you are creating a low temperature environment now."
"That's right. For an experiment like this, the temperature we need to reach is close to absolute zero, so we need this liquid helium device. If the temperature requirement is not that low, above 77K, liquid nitrogen can be used."
Because most of the superconductors known today can only achieve superconductivity at very low temperatures.
Therefore, in superconducting experiments, the step of creating a low-temperature environment is indispensable.
"Xu You, look at this tank of liquid helium. It looks insignificant, right? But it costs several thousand dollars. However, it can only maintain a low temperature for three or four days. Fortunately, our laboratory has a recycling system that can recycle the helium. Otherwise, the laboratory would be bankrupt sooner or later."
"Is it so expensive? I thought a few hundred dollars would be enough."
The prices of the consumables needed by these laboratories were far higher than Xu You had imagined.
And this is only part of the experimental cost.
According to rough estimates, the amount of scientific research funds consumed by a large laboratory in a year is really a very large number.
After completing the creation of the low-temperature environment, Yuan Dong began to prepare for measurements.
"Condensed matter physics sounds very advanced, but in fact, the experimental content is basically to measure resistance continuously. Of course, it is not just a simple measurement of resistance. You can add a magnetic field to measure resistance, lower the temperature to measure resistance, add a gate to control resistance, and add pressure to measure resistance. After all these measurements are completed, change the material and continue to measure resistance."
Yuan Dong's statement sounds somewhat negative.
But after Xu You thought about it, he realized that the words were indeed true.
Although the properties studied in condensed matter are not limited to conductivity.
But conductivity is indeed the most commonly studied property.
Xu You did not lose interest in the experiment because of Yuan Dong's words.
These principles sound simple enough.
But in actual operation , there are still many skills and details involved.
Yuan Dong is no ordinary person. Like Xu You, he was admitted to the national physics team through physics competition.
After completing my undergraduate studies, I was successfully admitted to graduate school and was considered a very outstanding student at Ji University.
After staying with Yuan Dong for a few days, Xu You learned a lot and basically mastered the process and operation methods of superconducting experiments.
On the other side, Xu Zhou's speed was much faster than expected.
The first batch of aluminum atomic cluster materials has been produced and mailed to Qiao Sen.
"Xu You, the first batch of aluminum cluster materials has arrived. You can start preparing for the experiment. I'll arrange Yuan Dong to help you keep an eye on it. If you have any questions, you can come to me directly."
"Okay, Mr. Qiao, I understand."
With the newly arrived materials, Xu You went to the laboratory and began the measurement work.
"After all this time, it turns out you're here to measure resistance as well."
Yuan Dong saw the content of Xu You's experiment, but he didn't know that this was actually a suspected superconducting material discovered by Xu You himself.
In fact, it is very normal that Yuan Dong couldn’t guess it.
Generally speaking, the superconducting properties of superconducting materials are discovered in laboratory measurements, rather than being determined before measurement.
It is very rare for someone like Xu You to first predict superconductivity through theory and then measure it.
"Xu You, what materials are you going to test?"
"Aluminum, and some special aluminum." Xu You said truthfully.
"What's there to test for aluminum? Someone has already studied it. Forget it, just do your test. If you have any questions, call me. I'll do my experiment first."
Yuan Dong was very confident in Xu You and basically didn't need to take care of him.
They are much easier to manage than those undergraduate students who are in their senior year and doing their graduation projects.
After that, the two of them conducted their own experiments.
As Xu You said, the first thing Xu You measured was ordinary bulk aluminum metal.
Although the superconducting properties of bulk aluminum have long been thoroughly studied.
But as a control experiment, it still has to be measured first.
Xu You followed the measurement steps taught by Yuan Dong, first creating a low-temperature environment and then measuring the resistance.
Sure enough, when the temperature was low enough, Xu You discovered a magical phenomenon.
