Terahertz microscope unmasks quantum vibrations of superconducting electrons
MIT researchers developed a terahertz microscope that uses spintronic emitters and a Bragg mirror to compress terahertz light to micron-scale spots, enabling imaging of the collective terahertz oscillations of superconducting electrons in BSCCO at cryogenic temperatures and overcoming the diffraction limit—a breakthrough for studying quantum modes in materials with potential implications for room-temperature superconductivity and terahertz devices.