Abstract
When a strong electric field is applied to a suspension of
micron-sized high Tc superconducting particles in liquid
nitrogen, the particles quickly aggregate together to form
millimeter-size balls. The balls are sturdy, surviving constant heavy
collisions with the electrodes, while they hold over 106 particles
each. The phenomenon is a result of interaction between Cooper pairs
and the strong electric field. The strong electric field induces
surface charges on the particle surface. When the applied electric
field is strong enough, Cooper pairs near the surface are depleted,
leading to a positive surface energy. The minimization of this surface
energy leads to the aggregation of particles to form balls.