A new superconductor derived from topological insulator heterostructure

Satoshi Sasaki; Kouji Segawa; Yoichi Ando

doi:10.1103/physrevb.90.220504

Home/Archive/arXiv

arXiv · 1404.1707

A new superconductor derived from topological insulator heterostructure

Satoshi Sasaki·Kouji Segawa·Yoichi Ando

View original source ↗Read source document ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

Topological superconductors (TSCs) are of significant current interest because they offer promising platforms for finding Majorana fermions. Here we report a new superconductor synthesized by intercalating Cu into a naturally-formed topological insulator (TI) heterostructure consisting of Bi2Se3 TI units separated by nontopological PbSe units. For the first time in a TI-based superconductor, the specific-heat behavior of this material suggests the occurrence of unconventional superconductivity with gap nodes. The existence of gap nodes in a strongly spin-orbit coupled superconductor would give rise to spin-split Andreev bound states that are the hallmark of topological superconductivity. Hence, this new superconductor emerges as an intriguing candidate TSC.

Explore related subjects

cond-mat.supr-con cond-mat.mes-hall cond-mat.mtrl-sci

Keep this discovery

BibTeX RIS

Satoshi Sasaki, Kouji Segawa, Yoichi Ando. 2014-04-07. A new superconductor derived from topological insulator heterostructure. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.90.220504

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

arXiv2026

Out-of-equilibrium relaxation dynamics of the superconducting order parameter in CsV$_3$Sb$_5$

The application of a time-varying strain field drives a superconducting order parameter out of equilibrium. How the order parameter relaxes back to equilibrium depends both on the structure of the superconducting gap and on the nature of quasiparticle scattering. We report the discovery of an ultrasonic attenuation peak inside the superconducting state of the kagome superconductor CsV$_3$Sb$_5$. This peak is the natural consequence of the order parameter relaxation time matching the ultrasonic drive frequency near $T_{\rm c}$. From the measured frequency dependence of the peak, we extract a microscopic scattering time of $\tau_N = 25$ ps. This timescale is two orders of magnitude longer than the elastic scattering time as determined by resistivity measurements, but is comparable to the inelastic scattering time determined by thermal transport. Within the conventional framework of order-parameter relaxation, this implies that elastic scattering is ineffective at relaxing the superconducting condensate, consistent with a sign-preserving $s$-wave state obeying Anderson's theorem.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2026

Eight-unit-cell electronic modulations in cuprates originating from local molecular orbitals

The pair density wave (PDW) state with eight-unit-cell (8a0) periodicity has been widely regarded as the primary order in cuprates, yet its existence and origin remain subjects of intense debate. Using spectroscopic imaging scanning tunneling microscopy, we observe spatial modulations of the electronic states with approximately 8a0 periodicity in both the superconducting and insulating regimes of hole-doped Ca2CuO2Cl2 cuprate. We find that the 8a0 spatial patterns are generated by the formation of molecular orbitals by doped holes, which organize into 4a0*4a0 plaquettes as the basic unit. Our results identify the 4a0 molecular orbital as the fundamental electronic building block in cuprates, while the 8a0 PDW represents a spatial subharmonic that emerges at sufficiently high doping.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2026

Record-Breaking Elemental Superconductivity in Tetralayer Kagome Borophene

Superconductivity above the liquid-nitrogen temperature remains rare in two-dimensional elemental crystals, where strong covalent bonding often yields high phonon frequencies but insufficient electron-phonon coupling. Here, using first-principles calculations and fully anisotropic Migdal-Eliashberg theory, we predict tetralayer kagome borophene (TKB) stabilized by ABAB covalent stacking, as a liquid-nitrogen-temperature elemental superconductor. With a predicted critical temperature of 102 K, TKB sets a record-high value among previously reported elemental superconductors. Unlike known high-Tc boron-based superconductors dominated by in-plane sigma-bonding states and high-frequency in-plane B-B stretching modes, TKB realizes an out-of-plane s-pz-bonding-mediated pairing mechanism, in which interlayer s-pz bonding states at the Fermi level are strongly coupled to low-frequency out-of-plane vibrations of boron atoms. These results reveal a distinct out-of-plane pairing channel in multilayer borophene and establish covalent stacking engineering as a potential route for high-Tc superconductivity in two-dimensional materials.

cond-mat.supr-con↗