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arXiv · 1712.03695

Superconductivity in Few-Layer Stanene

Menghan Liao·Yunyi Zang·Zhaoyong Guan·Haiwei Li·Yan Gong·Kejing Zhu·Xiao-Peng Hu·Ding Zhang·Yong Xu·Ya-Yu Wang·Ke He·Xu-Cun Ma·Shou-Cheng Zhang·Qi-Kun Xue
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Abstract

A single atomic slice of {\alpha}-tin-stanene-has been predicted to host quantum spin Hall effect at room temperature, offering an ideal platform to study low-dimensional and topological physics. While recent research has intensively focused on monolayer stanene, the quantum size effect in few-layer stanene could profoundly change material properties, but remains unexplored. By exploring the layer degree of freedom, we unexpectedly discover superconductivity in few-layer stanene down to a bilayer grown on PbTe, while bulk {\alpha}-tin is not superconductive. Through substrate engineering, we further realize a transition from a single-band to a two-band superconductor with a doubling of the transition temperature. In-situ angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) together with first-principles calculations elucidate the corresponding band structure. Interestingly, the theory also indicates the existence of a topologically nontrivial band. Our experimental findings open up novel strategies for constructing two-dimensional topological superconductors.

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Menghan Liao, Yunyi Zang, Zhaoyong Guan, Haiwei Li, Yan Gong, Kejing Zhu, Xiao-Peng Hu, Ding Zhang, Yong Xu, Ya-Yu Wang, Ke He, Xu-Cun Ma, Shou-Cheng Zhang, Qi-Kun Xue. 2017-12-11. Superconductivity in Few-Layer Stanene. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-017-0031-6

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