A method of operating a superconductor in its superconductivity state at a temperature Tc(i) in the range of Tc* to Tc, where Tc* is greater than the superconductivity temperature Tc of the superconductor, includes cooling the superconductor to a temperature of Tc or less and applying energy to the superconductor after the superconductor has entered a superconducting state. The energy corresponds to the quantum energy hν in the range of a minimum energy less than E0 to less than E0, where E0 is the ground state of the two-dimensional excitation binding energy of the superconductor The superconductor is then cooled to the selected temperature Tc(i). The minimum energy is 8/9 of E0.