Superconductivity enhanced by Hg fission

For the successful application of high-temperature copper oxide superconductors, the problem of the ease of motion of magnetic vortices (quantized flux lines) within the material must be solved. The motion results in finite electrical resistance which prevents the desired loss-free conduction of current. We demonstrate a solution to this problem by anchoring the vortices with crystallographic defects induced by fission of mercury atoms in a mercury/copper oxide superconductor.