Condensed matter physics explores the properties of solid and liquid matter, with key advances in superconductivity, semiconductors, and topological insulators spanning from 1911 to the present. This timeline highlights major experimental discoveries and theoretical breakthroughs that have transformed technology and our understanding of quantum materials.
Heike Kamerlingh Onnes discovers that mercury's electrical resistance suddenly drops to zero at 4.2 K, marking the first observation of superconductivity. This breakthrough opens the field of low-temperature physics. #physics #superconductivity #history
Walther Meissner and Robert Ochsenfeld discover that superconductors expel magnetic fields, demonstrating perfect diamagnetism. The Meissner effect becomes a defining property of superconductors. #physics #superconductivity #discovery
John Bardeen, Walter Brattain, and William Shockley at Bell Labs create the first point-contact transistor, revolutionizing electronics and laying the foundation for modern semiconductors. #physics #semiconductors #invention
Vitaly Ginzburg and Lev Landau propose a phenomenological theory of superconductivity using a complex order parameter, successfully describing type-I and type-II superconductors. #physics #superconductivity #theory
John Bardeen, Leon Cooper, and Robert Schrieffer publish the microscopic BCS theory, explaining superconductivity via electron-phonon pairing. This landmark work earns them the 1972 Nobel Prize. #physics #superconductivity #theory
Jack Kilby demonstrates the first integrated circuit at Texas Instruments, combining multiple transistors on a single semiconductor substrate, ushering in the microelectronics era. #semiconductors #electronics #invention
Brian Josephson predicts that supercurrent can flow between two superconductors separated by a thin insulator, leading to the Josephson effect. This discovery enables sensitive magnetometers and voltage standards. #physics #superconductivity #prediction
Gordon Moore observes that the number of transistors on a chip doubles every two years, a trend that drives semiconductor advancement for decades. #semiconductors #computing #law
Klaus von Klitzing discovers the integer quantum Hall effect in a two-dimensional electron gas under strong magnetic fields, revealing quantized Hall resistance. He receives the 1985 Nobel Prize. #physics #quantum #Hall
Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer invent the scanning tunneling microscope (STM), enabling atomic-scale imaging of surfaces. The STM becomes a crucial tool in condensed matter physics. #physics #microscopy #invention
Horst Störmer, Dan Tsui, and Robert Laughlin discover the fractional quantum Hall effect, unveiling quasiparticles with fractional charge. Laughlin's theory explains the phenomenon. #physics #quantum #Hall
Georg Bednorz and K. Alex Müller discover superconductivity in a lanthanum‑based cuprate at 35 K, sparking a race for higher‑Tc materials. They win the 1987 Nobel Prize. #superconductivity #physics #breakthrough
Maw‑Kuen Chu and colleagues synthesize yttrium barium copper oxide (YBCO), which superconducts at 92 K, above the boiling point of liquid nitrogen. This enables practical applications. #superconductivity #materials #discovery
Hiroshi Maeda and team discover Bi‑Sr‑Ca‑Cu‑O (BSCCO) with a critical temperature above 100 K, expanding the family of high‑Tc superconductors. #superconductivity #materials #discovery
Multiple experiments confirm that hole‑doped cuprates exhibit d‑wave pairing symmetry, distinct from BCS s‑wave. This deepens understanding of high‑Tc mechanisms. #superconductivity #physics #experiment
Jun Akimitsu's group discovers that magnesium diboride (MgB2) superconducts at 39 K, a relatively high transition temperature for a simple binary compound, sparking renewed interest. #superconductivity #materials #discovery
Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov isolate a single layer of carbon atoms (graphene) using adhesive tape, revealing extraordinary electronic properties. They receive the 2010 Nobel Prize. #physics #materials #graphene
Charles Kane and Eugene Mele predict that certain materials with strong spin‑orbit coupling can host topologically protected surface states, introducing the concept of topological insulators. #physics #topology #prediction
Laurens Molenkamp's group experimentally confirms the quantum spin Hall effect in HgTe quantum wells, the first 2D topological insulator. #physics #topology #experiment
Hideo Hosono's group discovers superconductivity in LaFeAsO1‑xFx at 26 K, launching a new family of high‑Tc superconductors with iron‑arsenic layers. #superconductivity #materials #discovery
Experiments confirm that Bi2Se3 and Bi2Te3 are three‑dimensional topological insulators with protected surface states, as predicted by theory. #physics #topology #materials
Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov are awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their groundbreaking experiments on graphene. #physics #graphene #Nobel
Leo Kouwenhoven's group reports signatures of Majorana zero modes in indium antimonide nanowires coupled with a superconductor, advancing topological quantum computing. #physics #topology #quantum
Experiments on topological insulators with conventional superconductors provide evidence for topological superconductivity, hosting Majorana bound states. #superconductivity #topology #discovery
Mikhail Eremets and colleagues find that hydrogen sulfide under extreme pressure becomes a superconductor at 203 K, a record high transition temperature at the time. #superconductivity #physics #highpressure
Liang Fu's group predicts and experimental groups confirm topological crystalline insulators in materials like PbSnSe, protected by crystal mirror symmetry. #physics #topology #materials
Pablo Jarillo‑Herrero's team shows that rotating two layers of graphene to a 'magic angle' of 1.1° enables superconductivity, opening a new platform for strongly correlated physics. #physics #graphene #superconductivity
Researchers observe the quantum spin Hall effect in monolayer WTe2 at temperatures up to 100 K, a major step toward practical topological devices. #physics #topology #2Dmaterials
Ranga Dias and colleagues report superconductivity at 15°C (288 K) in a carbonaceous sulfur hydride compound under 267 GPa pressure, later retracted due to controversy. #superconductivity #physics #breakthrough
Harold Hwang's group discovers superconductivity in infinite‑layer nickelates (Nd,Sr)NiO2, adding nickelates to the high‑Tc family. #superconductivity #materials #discovery
Microsoft and other groups demonstrate progress in braiding Majorana zero modes in nanowires, advancing toward fault‑tolerant topological qubits. #quantum #computing #topology
A Korean team claims room‑temperature ambient‑pressure superconductivity in Pb‑apatite (LK‑99), but subsequent experiments fail to replicate, highlighting challenges in the field. #superconductivity #controversy #science
Continued exploration of superhydrides leads to reports of superconductivity at temperatures exceeding 250 K in LaH10 and YH6 under high pressure, pushing the Tc frontier. #superconductivity #physics #highpressure
