The unexpected coexistence of superconductivity and magnetism observed in two experiments this year has finally been explained by MIT scientists, whose new work demonstrates the inner workings of a novel quantum phenomenon.
Before those recent experiments, theorists had assumed that one quantum state must inherently destroy the other, allowing only one to persist at any given time. The proposed explanation, based on the MIT team’s groundbreaking research, has now been published in a recent paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
A Quantum Duality
Magnetism and superconductivity are similar in that both arise from electron behavior. In magnetism, a synchronized spin creates a pull, while in a superconductor, electrons form “Cooper pairs,” which can glide frictionlessly through the material. The delicacy of the Cooper pair bond—a significant obstacle to developing reliable room-temperature superconducting technologies—is thought to be insufficiently robust to resist magnetic fields. This should cause the pairs to separate and exit a superconducting state when exposed to a magnetic field.
The first surprising experiment demonstrating the coexistence of magnetism and superconductivity was conducted on a material composed of multiple layers of rhombohedral graphene.
“It was electrifying,” said lead author of the new paper, Senthil Todadri, the William and Emma Rogers Professor of Physics at MIT, who recalls hearing Ju present the results at a conference. “It set the place alive. And it introduced more questions as to how this could be possible.”
The following experiment to identify the phenomenon was conducted using crystal molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe2). This material exhibits an exotic fractional quantum anomalous Hall effect (FQAH) under the same conditions that lead to superconductivity. This effect splits electrons passing through a material into anyons, forming a key aspect of the new theory.
Explaining Quantum Duality
The MIT researchers’ explanation of the quantum duality observed this year notes that such a phenomenon occurs only under certain conditions. The scenario they depict occurs when an electron in a magnetic material splits into tiny quasiparticles called anyons. If those splits occur only in the proper fractions, then the quasiparticles can achieve frictionless flow, mimicking the electron flow observed in superconductors.
This means what’s occurring in magnetic superconductors is not just a contradiction of expectations but the discovery of a new type of superconductivity. While conventional superconductivity relies on standard electrons, this new magnetic supercurrent of exotic anyons is unique.
“Many more experiments are needed before one can declare victory,” Todadri said. “But this theory is very promising and shows that there can be new ways in which the phenomenon of superconductivity can arise.”
The challenges inherent in superconductivity are significant impediments to bringing quantum computing out of the laboratory and into practical use. If further research confirms the existence of these superconducting anyons, they will enable a new method for creating the qubits on which quantum computers operate, thereby enabling efficient execution of complex computations.
“These theoretical ideas, if they pan out, could make this dream one tiny step within reach,” Todadri says.
Anyons Explained
Anyons have always been an unusual feature of the universe, since their name was jokingly designated in the 1980s. Unlike the three-dimensional particles of bosons and fermions that make up most of our universe, anyons exist only in two-dimensional space. Their unique name is intended to convey the “anything goes” aspect of their strange behavior, a feature to which other researchers added the expectation of superconducting potential years later.
“People knew that magnetism was usually needed to get anyons to superconduct, and they looked for magnetism in many superconducting materials,” Todadri said. “But superconductivity and magnetism typically do not occur together. So then they discarded the idea.”
Interested in whether the superconducting potential of anyons may have something to do with the quantum duality, Todadri worked with co-author Zhengyan Darius Shi to begin their investigation. Their work was theoretical, based on quantum field theory equations that describe how individual interactions give rise to macroscopic quantum states. One of the most significant challenges for the pair was addressing the known resistance of anyons to motion.
“When you have anyons in the system, what happens is each anyon may try to move, but it’s frustrated by the presence of other anyons,” Todadri explained. “This frustration happens even if the anyons are extremely far away from each other. And that’s a purely quantum mechanical effect.”
An Eye on Anyons
With the team’s focus on MoTe2, the work continued in the theoretical realm, as the MIT researchers modeled the FQAH conditions in the material, observing how electrons split and which types of anyons emerged as they increased the number of electrons.
That electron density had a strong effect on how the anyons formed, either as 1/3- or 2/3-charge versions. By further applying quantum field theory equations to two types of anyons, they found that a majority of 1/3 charge anyons were difficult to move. Still, a majority of 2/3 charge anyons could form a superconductor.
“These anyons break out of their frustration and can move without friction,” Todadri said. “The amazing thing is, this is an entirely different mechanism by which a superconductor can form, but in a way that can be described as Cooper pairs in any other system.”
Future Quantum Research
In addition to finding that specific electron densities produce superconducting anyons, the researchers also uncovered additional details about the phenomenon. When the anyons first appear, they arise as a new pattern of twisting super currents, randomly sprouting from various locations across the material. This behavior is markedly different from that of conventional superconductors.
For now, however, the work remains confined to the theoretical realm. Experimentalists will now have to devise methods to test these ideas in practice. Confirmation would be a major step forward for quantum physics and could open entirely new avenues in quantum computing.
“If our anyon-based explanation is what is happening in MoTe2, it opens the door to the study of a new kind of quantum matter which may be called ‘anyonic quantum matter,’” Todadri concluded. “This will be a new chapter in quantum physics.”
The paper, “Anyon Delocalization Transitions Out of a Disordered Fractional Quantum Anomalous Hall Insulator,” appeared in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on December 19, 2025.
Ryan Whalen covers science and technology for The Debrief. He holds an MA in History and a Master of Library and Information Science with a certificate in Data Science. He can be contacted at ryan@thedebrief.org, and follow him on Twitter @mdntwvlf.