ETH Zurich, in a materials laboratory.
Professor Andreas Schilling held a printed paper in his hand, his eyes full of surprise.
This paper is exactly the paper Xiao Yi posted on arxiv. Although this paper has been submitted to "nature", the review will take some time after all, so for now people can only find it on arxiv.
"How... is this possible? Can FeSe have such magical properties? Even its ductility is so good?"
"HCP structure... I have never heard that HCP structure has such plastic deformation ability!"
"What's more... how did FeSe synthesize HCP structure?"
"Isn't it possible?"
Xilin couldn't help but look at the other professor standing next to him, "Professor Epley, don't you think this is nonsense?"
This paper was brought over by Professor Gabriel Epley, who was among the first people in the academic community to know the news.
As a top scholar in the field of ETH Zurich Condensed Matter Physics, he brought this paper to Professor Andreas Schilling of his college, who also had many achievements in Condensed Matter Physics, for communication.
In response to Schilling's question, Epley just shrugged and said, "I don't think it is possible, but the author is Xiao Yi, and he is not Langa Dias."
Langa Dias is the person who "made" room temperature superconductors. The big news this guy made in 2020-2021 can be said to have shocked many people at the time. As a result, some time ago, in July 2023, his room temperature superconductor paper published on Physical Review Letters has been withdrawn.
Basically, this guy has a bad reputation in academia.
But Xiao Yi is different!
He is still so young this year, so there is no need to make such big news to pollute his reputation.
Regarding what Epley said, Schilling was silent for a long time, then took the paper, flipped it over and over, and finally pointed at it and said, "He didn't even explain the preparation process, how can we believe it?"
Epley spread his hands and said, "There is really no way. If I could really come up with something like this, I probably wouldn't announce it. This would make me at least several billion!"
Xilin thought for a while and then said, "By the way, I remember Professor Oppley. Didn't he go to China some time ago? I heard he said he met Xiao Yi because Xiao Yi wrote a book. Why not ask him?"
Epley nodded and said, "Okay, I'll contact him now."
Soon, Professor Oppley came to their laboratory, but there was another person coming with him, an editor of "nature".
"Professor James, why are you here too?"
James is the editor of "nature". He said, "Professor Oppley is our special consultant of "nature". This time I came to ask him some questions about a book."
Oprah smiled and explained to Epley and the others, "It's the book "Principles of Experimental Analysis" written by Xiao Yi that I told you before."
"Because this book is signed by Springer, I also hope to promote it through "nature". I want to write a few comments or something."
"Oh?"
Epley and Xilin immediately showed surprised expressions.
"Do you take it seriously?"
Although "nature" is a publication owned by Springer, it will definitely not be easy for Springer to arrange for "nature" to advertise a book.
At least, this book does deserve the publicity.
"Of course." Oprah said, and then he praised the book again. Whether it was from his heart, or because he recommended this book to Springer, he highly praised this book.
Professor James next to him also smiled and nodded, "I have also read this book. The content inside is indeed worthy of the promotion of Nature. I even believe that this book has the potential to become a basic textbook for all natural science majors around the world."
James is an editor. Although he is a journal editor rather than a book editor, his view is certainly not without purpose.
For a moment, Epley immediately said to Oprah, "In this case, please Professor Oppley help me find a copy, and I will study it later."
"And me." Xilin also said.
Oprah nodded with a smile, "Of course that's no problem! I happen to have a few more copies over there, I'll bring them to you when the time comes."
April and Xilin thanked each other profusely.
After talking about the book, Epley also explained the purpose of inviting them over.
"If you ask me this, I really don't know."
Oprah shook his head and said, "But one thing that can be explained is that in the book "Principles of Experimental Analysis", many of the examples cited by Xiao Yi are from condensed matter experiments. Presumably, the experiments he did while writing this book were also preparations for the synthesis of this new superconductor."
Epley and Schilling's eyes lit up. "It means that if we study this book, maybe we can discover how this new FeSe high-temperature superconductor is synthesized?"
"Uh..." Oprah was stunned and said, "I didn't say that. Did you misunderstand something?"
But the more they thought about it, the more Epley and Schilling felt like this. They immediately decided to go back and read a few more copies of this book, and then find someone to study the experiments in it to see if they could unearth the secrets of the new FeSe.
Oprah and James looked at each other and felt that they had misunderstood something.
But it seems that it will be beneficial to the sales of this book?
James returned to the topic just now. "Let's go back to Xiao Yi's paper. He has now submitted the paper to us. There is still a question about whether the paper will be accepted."
"After all, this paper does not contain a specific preparation process, so it cannot be regarded as a rigorous article. It can only be regarded as a letter, and it is still a little worse."
"Xiao Yi also sent a statement, saying that this new superconductor is a confidential technology, so the key technology will be retained. Such a paper also exists, but he agreed to provide samples, which will then be verified by our designated laboratory."
"Now, we have sent people to take samples from him and send them to some of our designated laboratories. The results may be confirmed within a week."
Epley and Shilling both said in unison, "Can you bring one to our laboratory?"
James smiled awkwardly and said, "As for this, we have designated a laboratory and the samples are limited, so..."
Epley and Xilin couldn't help showing disappointed expressions.
This is their closest chance to this new superconductor!
It was so missed.
"If you have another chance next time, please remember us!" April asked.
"Next time for sure, next time for sure!"
James said helplessly.
joke.
Now, which laboratory in the world doesn't want this sample? Those laboratories of Nobel Prize winners are all asking for it.
They almost had a fight when they met internally to decide which laboratories to designate.
You two, please stay back a little.
But no matter what, since a laboratory is about to verify it, Epley and Schilling are also looking forward to the results.
By the way, they also asked Oprah how many more copies of "Principles of Experimental Analysis" he wanted. Oprah was helpless, why did he still eat and take them?
He didn't even have a few copies at his place. Finally, he said that Springer was printing the first batch of books. When they were ready, he would help them contact the printing house and ask for a few copies.
Epley and Xilin also knew that they would be embarrassed if they asked for it again, so they expressed their gratitude and looked forward to the printing of the first batch of books there.
And no matter what, at least the two of them have obtained a book each, allowing them to study it first.
Just like that, a few days passed by in the blink of an eye.
Regarding the fact that "nature" designated a laboratory to verify the new FeSe of Xiao Yi, word spread quickly, and it immediately attracted the attention of many people in the academic community.
Although Xiao Yi relies on his credibility in the academic community, the papers he published have gained a certain degree of trust in the academic community even though there are no preparation methods.
However, it is obvious that relying on credit alone is not enough. Only these verification results can play a decisive role.
While people were waiting for the results, news came out from ETH Zurich that a book "Principles of Experimental Analysis" recently written by Xiao Yi may contain Xiao Yi's important experience or process in developing this new type of FeSe.
This news has made many people doubtful. Is it true or false?
There were some people who wanted to buy this book for a while, but then they got the news that this book was still in the printing process, and it would probably take a while before the first batch would be officially put on the shelves. However, as more and more people asked, Springer said it would expedite the printing of the first batch.
Of course, there are still quite a few people who maintain a wait-and-see attitude. At least, whether this new FeSe has the performance described in the Xiao Yi paper will not be determined until the verification results are available.
Just like that, another few days passed.
Finally, major laboratories that have obtained samples are gradually getting results.
And these results are still from those world-famous laboratories.
The first one to get the results was Tsinghua University. After all, because it is in China, it became one of the clients of "nature" and was also the first to get the sample.
Although Tsinghua University has been tested before, this time it is an official commission from "nature", so Qinghua's laboratory also conducted another complete experiment on the new FeSe.
The final result is naturally: completely consistent with the data published by Professor Xiao Yi's team.
This result shocked the entire academic world again.
But after all, Qinghua Laboratory is also a Chinese laboratory and has communicated with Xiao Yi before, so some people still maintain a wait-and-see attitude, waiting for more laboratory verification results to come out.
Soon, verification results from other laboratories gradually came out.
"Nature" commissioned 10 laboratories from 7 countries. In addition to China's Qinghua Laboratory, there are also laboratories in Russia, Singapore, Japan, the United States, France, and Sweden.
The first to come out with confirmation news were laboratories in Russia, Singapore and Japan, which are relatively close to China.
Laboratories in these three countries have stated that Xiao Yi's new FeSe high-temperature superconductor does have the excellent performance described in the paper. Whether it is the three basic properties of superconductivity, or mechanical strength, environmental resistance and processability, it has reached a level that can be industrialized.
The results of these three countries finally convinced those who were still waiting to see.
Later, experimental results from the United States, France, and Sweden once again verified the same results.
So far, the results of a total of 10 laboratories have all recognized the properties of the new FeSe. At the same time, it also declares that humans have truly mastered high-temperature superconductivity!
For a time, major media published relevant articles one after another, spreading the matter around the world.
"From low-temperature superconductivity to high-temperature superconductivity, today's humans are no longer far away from true room-temperature superconductivity!""
"Welcome to the era of high-temperature superconductivity!""
"Join the glorious superconducting evolution!""
"High Temperature Superconductivity!" We are only half a step away from the future!"
"Xiao Yi's high-temperature superconductor leads the advancement of mankind!""
"Shocked!" This thing developed by Xiao Yi actually changed the times!"
In addition to news from major media, it has also caused various discussions on various platforms around the world.
For example, in China.
[I'll blanch it! Have high-temperature superconductors really been developed? How is this done?]
[It's not that high-temperature superconductors have actually been developed, but that a nearly perfect high-temperature superconductor has been developed!]
[Nearly perfect? What does perfection look like?]
[Then it must be at least a room temperature superconductor]
[What is the difference between room temperature superconductors and high temperature superconductors? Aren't high-temperature superconductors enough? Didn't I read in the news that this new type of superconductor can superconduct as long as the temperature is lower than 92 degrees?]
[Good guy, do you really know nothing? What is lower than 92 degrees, that is 92k, Kelvin temperature, converted into degrees Celsius is -181 degrees Celsius, this high temperature is relative to absolute zero, anything Superconducting Transition Temperature is higher than the 77k temperature of liquid nitrogen, that is a high-temperature superconductor, so the temperature of a room-temperature superconductor is higher than the temperature of a high-temperature superconductor]
[Okay, okay, room temperature is higher than high temperature]
[By the way, if we give samples to foreign laboratories for research, will it lead to leakage of the preparation method?]
[Haha, good question, but in fact, there is no need to worry about this problem at all. The reverse engineering of materials can be said to be the most troublesome problem in the world. Even if it is an ordinary piece of material, it is already quite troublesome to reverse it, let alone a superconductor, which is one of the most complex materials among all materials. Just ensuring its superconductivity is a problem.
Moreover, the full name of this new type of FeSe produced by Scholar Xiao is HCP-type silver-doped FeSe. You must know that the ordinary FeSe is PbO-type tetragonal structure, and the HCP type is also called the densest hexagonal structure in translation. The two completely different structures are enough to show that the preparation process, including temperature, pressure, chemical environment and other aspects, are completely different from the normal preparation process!
Based on this, it is basically impossible to reverse engineer this new type of FeSe, not to mention that it needs to be doped with silver! Once doping elements are involved, let me tell you, even if a universal quantum computer is built, it will be blind.
So don't worry, not to mention that the current samples are nothing. Some products designed in the future will be exported abroad sooner or later. If people really want to reverse engineer, they can do it at that time. In short, there is no need to worry.]
[Don't worry, Scholar Xiao must have thought more about it than you. Otherwise, guess why Scholar Xiao did not publish the preparation process in the paper?]
[That's good, then I'll be relieved.]
[Damn, Scholar Xiao is this really cheating?]
The direction of foreign platforms is different.
[So what are our scientists doing? People have created such practical high-temperature superconductors, but what are our scientists still doing?]
[Our scientists have all gone to an island to relax!]
[Xiao Yi Why don't you publish the preparation process? How could he be so selfish?]
[How about you sell the lithography machine to us first?]
[You think people are stupid. For a truly useful achievement like this, people would not be stupid enough to publish the preparation process, just like the original atomic bomb.]
[This thing is worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Why do they want to announce it?]
[How many billions? Tens of billions!]
[Let me find a way to tell Xiao Yi that as long as he is willing to publish the preparation process, Nobel Prize in Physics will be awarded to him.]
[Good idea!]
[Laughs, do you really think Xiao Yi cares about the Nobel Prize?]
[I think it's better to just send the black widow to sneak into China and capture Xiao Yi. If that doesn't work, you can also seduce her. I heard that Xiao Yi is not married yet]
[You already have Black Widow, why not just ask Tony Stark to hand over his Ark Reactor? You have nuclear fusion, so what do you need to care about high-temperature superconductors?]
[Please don't send Black Widow, I love Scarlett very much, I kneel down for you!]
[Everyone is already married, you loser!]
[Waste!]
[I heard that Xiao Yi recently published a book called "Principles of Experimental Analysis", which may contain the preparation method of this new type of FeSe.]
[Real or false? Then I'm going to buy a copy.]
[I want to buy one too!]