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OK, there is a lot of news on various outlets about LK-99 and the ongoing race to validate/refute of 3 Koreans who claim to have created the world’s first room temperature superconductor.

I will give a quite info dump here.

1). WTF is this? Room temp superconductors (RTSC) are basically unobtainium. This is the stuff in the Avatar movie. It was calculated earlier this week that it would take an exascale machine (1x human is 20 petaflops) around 100 million years to brute force a 50:50 chance of discovering such a material. It’s a super hard problem.

2). Why do we care? Such a material can move electricity with zero resistance, this means no heat or waste from electronics. It means super dense chips, data centres without thermal limits, it means powerful enough magnets to hold proper fusion plasma, it means quantum computers with no thermal error, it means science instruments with no noise, zero loss transmission lines, vastly superior battery tech, proper ionic space engines.

That just some of the stuff we can predict today, there are no doubt many totally unforeseeable things too. It’s basically a completely new paradigm of human capabilities. It’s on par with humans discovering coal.

It means the 21st century will be unrecognisable compared to 20th century, as information and energy technologies are completely reset at a higher science foundation.

3). Is it real? Currently betting markets are 50:50 having been only 5-12% positive last week. The consensus is shifting towards “this is real” that’s not how these things usually go.

What do I know?

I have read the background and the science papers and spoken to a few people. I am the sort of person who reads patents as a hobby, have seen BS claims before. This looks real, has a new hypothesis that has been validated by world class simulation centre in Lawrence Bell Nation Labs, and various labs are now beginning to publish papers replicating physically what the Koreans claim.

My own theory is that the superconductor is a particular isotope of lead. Specifically Pb 207, only 22% of Lead is Pb-207 sI believe some enrichment may be required to achieve a pure RTSC. I expect various entities to race to construct such plants if this theory is confirmed. Why do I think this?

Because Lead-207 has unique nuclear spin properties among stable lead isotopes.

Isotopic properties.

Lead-204: Spin = 0

Lead-206: Spin = 0

Lead-207: Spin = 1/2

Lead-208: Spin = 0

Copper-63: Spin = 3/2

Copper-65: Spin = 3/2

Only 22.1% of Lead is 207.

My own theory is that RTSC is a macro phenomena of engineered quantum entanglement, where the spins of individual Pb-207 nuclei become entangled with each other. This could potentially influence the electron behavior on a macroscopic scale. This might aid in forming Cooper pairs, enabling superconductivity.

Any Questions?

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Discussion

t4es5ter5 2y ago

That's quite an intriguing and comprehensive explanation! Room Temperature Superconductors (RTSC) would indeed be a game-changing discovery with the potential to revolutionize technology across a variety of fields, as you mentioned. If the Koreans have truly developed a room temperature superconductor, this is a monumental achievement.

The theory you've proposed, involving the nuclear spin of Lead-207 and its potential to enable quantum entanglement on a macro scale, is quite intriguing. It's important to note that while quantum entanglement is typically observed at micro levels, the macro level, as suggested by your hypothesis, could open a completely new understanding of physics.

However, this theory is speculative and would require rigorous testing to validate.

In addition to this, while the unique nuclear spin of Pb-207 might contribute to this phenomenon, it's not clear if this alone could create the conditions necessary for superconductivity at room temperature. There are likely additional material characteristics or environmental conditions necessary.

Now, to answer some of your implied questions:

1. Verifying a breakthrough like this is a lengthy process, and the scientific community will need to carry out independent tests to confirm the findings. So, while the betting markets might lean one way or the other, the definitive word on this will come from multiple successful independent validations.

2. Your theory about using Pb-207 to create a RTSC is interesting, but it's important to remember that superconductivity is a complex phenomenon that depends on a number of factors. While nuclear spin may play a role, other factors such as lattice structure, phonon interactions, and other material properties can significantly influence superconductivity.

The material being a specific isotope of Lead is speculative at this point, and testing this would involve creating a sample with a high concentration of Pb-207 and testing its superconducting properties under various conditions.

Lastly, this whole situation emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary knowledge in today's science. Complex problems like discovering RTSC require a mix of understanding from areas like quantum physics, material science, and even computer science for simulations.

Exciting times indeed! We'll have to wait and see how the situation evolves and what new developments emerge.

t4es5ter5 2y ago

(Sorry I had to post this to GPT-4 😆) . This was his answer

Thank you 🙏

⚡️ ⚡️

Fantastic ⚡ 🙏

Good summary, following the updates on Xitter about this is difficult

Merrcurr⚡️ 2y ago

I am still trying to make sense of this but considering that scientists have conducted a lot of research on lead and its isotopes, including Pb-207 from what i could see online, wouldn’t we have already noticed some signs of superconductivity if Pb-207’s quantum properties were capable of creating such an effect?

[801191]

⚡️🌱🌙 2y ago

LK-99 is not lead.

It is CuO25P6Pb9

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/LK-99

Of that lead in LK-99 only 22% of it is the Pb-207 isotope in the samples created so far.

Nobody has ever enriched lead. Yet.

Merrcurr⚡️ 2y ago

Ok will need to do more basic research 😅

[801192]

Shashue 🌳🛖⛰️ 2y ago

Awesome!

Thanks for sharing.

SovereigntyQuest 2y ago

If it indeed is the breakthrough that's being suggested, how long before we start to see this making it's way into implementation/use/production? I joked about quantum entanglement communication and NIP-05 a few days ago but maybe that was too early ;)

⚡️🌱🌙 2y ago

Difficult to guess.

I’m excited about it, but it remains 50:50 at best if this is real. That still means the expected value is enormous, in the $10’s trillions range, so well worthy of exploring.

The first steps are isolating and theorising the material and RTSC mechanism.

Second we would want to optimise the material, some labs are already suggesting gold doped apatite would outperform this copper doped material (Koreans probably could not afford to experiment with gold).

Thirdly we would need to optimise the process for producing the optimal material.

Fourth we optimise the scaling of the optimal process for the optimal material

Fifth we optimise society for optimal scale of the optimal process of the optimal material.

Sixth bank.

Along the way, there will be shortcuts and races and early stuff will get the market. THz antennas might be an early application, but cold CPU’s and qubits are the real arms race now.

SovereigntyQuest 2y ago

Interesting

Diego Valley 2y ago

Can/will this technology be applied to ASICS for btc mining? How far can we go into space now? 😊 🚀

⚡️🌱🌙 2y ago

ASIC’s typically use metal oxide semiconductors which generate heat and are thermally limited.

Superconductors could use switches that generate zero heat and run 100x faster.

Superconductors also remove the thermal error from qubits and allow for scalable quantum computing.

The latter would defeat none quantum cryptography.

daniele 2y ago

Thank you!

What do you think would be the first application that industry will try (maybe military?) and which instead would you like to pursue with this new technology to change the world for the better?

⚡️🌱🌙 2y ago

Couple superconducting scanner with AI and insanely good medical diagnostics should become ubiquitous.

We should aim to be detecting cancers on day 1.

Cancer currently kills 1 in 6 people prematurely.

daniele 2y ago

This would be really great!

Although we should also move on the path of prevention to avoid cancer altogether; any possible applications for this?

bitfox 🦊⚡ 2y ago

how is this material paired with semiconductors to create the chips you mentioned (very dense ones)

current lithography machines use silica wafers, can this lead be placed inside a silica wafer with a coating and a lithography machine?

is there any example of lithography with lead?

⚡️🌱🌙 2y ago

It’s not lead it’s LK-99.

Lead is one of the elements and I talk about a specific isotope of a specific element of the material.

The superconductor equivalent of a transistor is called a Josephson Junction. A Josephson Junction is a thin layer of insulating material placed between two superconducting materials. It can switch on and off, or exhibit various states of resistance, much like a semiconductor switch, but with near zero energy loss and very fast switching speeds. This makes it ideal for certain applications like quantum computing.

It allows for chips that generate zero heat.

Overheating is the limiting factor for CPU’s. It your CPU generating zero heat, it could be overclocked to a fantastic speed.

eg 100x faster.

bitfox 🦊⚡ 2y ago

understood but i think my core question remains

is there any usage of this type of material in a current generation chip?

might come out as a dumb question, "prototype material on a current gen system, are you stupid?"

i mean, gasoline is used in several different generations of engine, as an analogy, is there a material that would have physical properties similar to LK99 that has ever been paired to a silica chip?

which process was used to create that

my thought process is, carbon nanotubes are a mega advancement in material science, usage is still very limited due to how hard it is to manufacture in a usable state, is that something you would consider as a problem for LK99, its a mega material but manifacturing is very hard and manufacturing in a usable manner even harder

i hope i dont come out as too dumb 🤤

⚡️🌱🌙 2y ago

Transistors are semiconductor switches. So no, that’s not how superconductors work. Superconductors use a Josephson Junction.

Semiconductors get hot and break down if you run them too fast, they age. RTSC’s do not have these limits.

We wont use LK-99, we will probably find a dozen RTSC’s by xmas. People are already looking past LK-99 for better ones.

bitfox 🦊⚡ 2y ago

last question then (thanks already in clearing some of my doubts)

silica transistors are about to become old tech?

how would rtsc affect the current tech? is lithography becoming old tech?

is tsmc with their current billions of dollars worth of tech in a position where they need to reinvent themselves (in a few decades) or is their expertise transferrable to the new materials?

⚡️🌱🌙 2y ago

Skills and experience probably transfer, plant and IP not so much.

Rarely do incumbents companies emerge in a new paradigm in good shape.

New capital will just form without their plant debt and hire their staff.

freeborn | ἐλεύθερος | 8r0gwg 2y ago

Any questions?

Only Questions

What are the implications for cryptography?

⚡️🌱🌙 2y ago 💬 1

1). Removes the thermal limits from chip performance and paves the way for much faster CPU’s

2). Removes thermal noise from qubits and allows scalable quantum computers

New quantum cryptography would be required, thankfully already exists, but needs implementing. Race is on.

freeborn | ἐλεύθερος | 8r0gwg 2y ago

...and this obsoletes existing miners...

...difficulty going to the moon...

Wonder how soon this is all going to hit.

nout 2y ago

How does it remove thermal noise? You still need vacuum and super cool for most qubits, no?

PaddleManJoe 2y ago

Lossless transmission lines that can fit in a small cable. The environmental impact of giant transmission line right-of-ways is significant. Might not even need step up transformers anymore since high current won't have any thermal loss.

Brunswick 2y ago

Low voltage (1000v) multi-million amp transmission lines. They have no need to be strung through the air, and can transmit billions of watts across the world lossesslessly in a single conduit?!

PaddleManJoe 2y ago

Yeah I am a power engineer so that's what I jumped to. We lose so much energy to thermal loss..... not just transmission lines..... but if generators were wound in superconducting wires that would be crazy.

Now it sounds like superconductors generally have a maximum current density so there are limits to how much you could shove through it. It's not an infinite current situation.

Anyway hope LK99 is the real deal. Could just be more hype, I am sure Mr. Stu will let us know.

RamenCoffee 2y ago

Thank you !

Question : The ultimate proof would be to just have a sample of the material.

How hard would it be to just make some ?

nobody 2y ago

Every now and then you come across one of those posts that reminds you to remain humble. Thank you. 🙂

VikiSecrets 2y ago

Most probably fake, Sabine Hossenfelder also mentioned it recently, but shows how dumb mainstream media is when reporting about science: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjzL9cS3VW8

unknown 2y ago

Hasn't MIT nerds given it a 5% chance of success?