Searcharxiv⌕ Search

SEARCH · Searcharxiv

Results for “cond-mat.supr-con”

Search indexed arXiv papers on artificial intelligence, large language models, computer vision and robotics. Read source abstracts and follow links to arXiv.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 757 records · Page 42Linked to original sources

Topological Quantum Critical Points in Strong Coupling limits: Global Symmetries and Strongly Interacting Majorana Fermions

In this article, we discuss strong coupling limits of topological quantum critical points (TQCPs) where quantum phase transitions between two topological distinct superconducting states take place. We illustrate that while superconducting phases on both sides of TQCPs spontaneously break same symmetries, universality classes of critical states can be identified only when global symmetries in topological states are further specified. In dimensions $d=2,3$, we find that continuous $(d+1)$th order transitions at weakly interacting TQCPs that were pointed out previously in the presence of emergent Lorentz symmetry can be terminated by strongly interacting fixed points of majorana fields. For $2d$ time reversal symmetry breaking TQCPs, termination points are supersymmetric with ${\mathcal N}=4N_f={1}$ (where $N_f$ is the number of four-component Dirac fermions and ${\mathcal N}$ is the number of two-component real fermions) beyond which transitions are discontinuous first order ones. For $2d$ time reversal symmetric TQCPs without other global symmetries, termination points of $(d+1)$th order continuous transition lines are generically conformal invariant without supersymmetry. Beyond these strong coupling fixed points, there are first-order discontinuous transitions as far as the protecting symmetry is not spontaneously broken but no direct transitions if the protecting symmetry is spontaneously broken in the presence of strong interactions. In $3d$, strong coupling termination points can be further effectively represented by new emergent gapless real bosons weakly coupled with free gapless majorana fermions. However, in $1d$, time reversal symmetric $(d+1)$th continuous transition lines of TQCPs are terminated by simple free majorana fermion fixed points.

cond-mat.str-el↗

Josephson effects in twisted cuprate bilayers

Twisted bilayers of high-$T_c$ cuprate superconductors have been argued to form topological phases with spontaneously broken time reversal symmetry ${\cal T}$ for certain twist angles. With the goal of helping to identify unambiguous signatures of these topological phases in transport experiments, we theoretically investigate a suite of Josephson phenomena between twisted layers. We find an unusual non-monotonic temperature dependence of the critical current at intermediate twist angles which we attribute to the unconventional sign structure of the $d$-wave order parameter. The onset of the ${\cal T}$-broken phase near $45^\circ$ twist is marked by a crossover from the conventional $2π$-periodic Josephson relation $J(φ)\simeq J_c\sinφ$ to a $π$-periodic function as the single-pair tunneling becomes dominated by a second order process that involves two Cooper pairs. Despite this fundamental change, the critical current remains a smooth function of the twist angle $θ$ and temperature $T$ implying that a measurement of $J_c$ alone will not be a litmus test for the ${\cal T}$-broken phase. To obtain clear signatures of the ${\cal T}$-broken phase one must measure $J_c$ in the presence of an applied magnetic field or radio-frequency drive, where the resulting Fraunhofer patterns and Shapiro steps are altered in a characteristic manner. We discuss these results in light of recent experiments on twisted bilayers of the high-$T_c$ cuprate superconductor Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_{8+δ}$.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

Quantum dynamics of disordered arrays of interacting superconducting qubits: signatures of quantum collective states

We study theoretically the collective quantum dynamics occurring in various interacting superconducting qubits arrays (SQAs) in the presence of a spread of individual qubit frequencies. The interaction is provided by mutual inductive coupling between adjacent qubits (short-range Ising interaction) or inductive coupling to a low-dissipative resonator (long-range exchange interaction). In the absence of interaction the Fourier transform of temporal correlation function of the total polarization ($z$-projection of the total spin), i.e. the dynamic susceptibility $C(ω)$, demonstrates a set of sharp small magnitude resonances corresponding to the transitions of individual superconducting qubits. We show that even a weak interaction between qubits can overcome the disorder with a simultaneous formation of the collective excited states. This collective behavior manifests itself by a single large resonance in $C(ω)$. In the presence of a weak non-resonant microwave photon field in the low-dissipative resonator, the positions of dominant resonances depend on the number of photons, i.e. the collective ac Stark effect. Coupling of an SQA to the transmission line allows a straightforward experimental access of the collective states in microwave transmission experiments and, at the same time, to employ SQAs as sensitive single-photon detectors.

quant-ph↗

Symmetry-protected Dirac nodal lines and large spin Hall effect in $\mathbf{V_6Sb_4}$ with kagome bilayer

Recently, a family of nonmagnetic kagome metals \textit{A}$\mathrm{V_3Sb_5}$ (\textit{A}=K, Rb, and Cs) has attracted significant attention for realizing the intertwining of quantum order and nontrivial topology. However, these compounds have been identified to host complex band structures. Therefore, it is desirable to design and synthesize novel kagome materials with a simple band topology and good transport properties. In this study, using first-principles calculations, we present the electronic properties and the intrinsic spin Hall effect of V$_6$Sb$_4$, the latest experimentally synthesized vanadium-based compounds with a kagome bilayer. In the absence of spin-orbital coupling (SOC), this compound is a Dirac nodal line semimetal with symmetry-protected nodal rings near the Fermi level. Within the SOC, the spin-rotation symmetry breaks the gaps of the nodal rings with a small band gap. Furthermore, based on the Wannier tight-binding approach and the Kubo formula, we propose a large spin Hall effect in V$_6$Sb$_4$, which intrinsically originates from the spin Berry curvature. Our work further expands nonmagnetic kagome compounds for applications in spintronics accompanied by exotic quantum order.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

Imaging Se diffusion across the FeSe/SrTiO$_3$ interface

Monolayer FeSe on SrTiO$_3$ superconducts with reported $T_\mathrm{c}$ as high as 100 K, but the dramatic interfacial $T_\mathrm{c}$ enhancement remains poorly understood. Oxygen vacancies in SrTiO$_3$ are known to enhance the interfacial electron doping, electron-phonon coupling, and superconducting gap, but the detailed mechanism is unclear. Here we apply scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) to FeSe/SrTiO$_3$ to image the diffusion of selenium into SrTiO$_3$ to an unexpected depth of several unit cells, consistent with the simultaneously observed depth profile of oxygen vacancies. Our density functional theory (DFT) calculations support the crucial role of oxygen vacancies in facilitating the thermally driven Se diffusion. In contrast to excess Se in the FeSe monolayer or FeSe/SrTiO$_3$ interface that is typically removed during post-growth annealing, the diffused Se remains in the top few unit cells of the SrTiO$_3$ bulk after the extended post-growth annealing that is necessary to achieve superconductivity. Thus, the unexpected Se in SrTiO$_3$ may contribute to the interfacial electron doping and electron-phonon coupling that enhance $T_\mathrm{c}$, suggesting another important role for oxygen vacancies as facilitators of Se diffusion.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

Emergence of Surface Superconductivity through Interference in Superconducting-proximity Topological Insulators

Superconducting-proximity topological insulators (STIs) have garnered significant research attention over the past two decades. In this Letter, we demonstrate that a low-dimensional STI in the topological-nontrivial phase (TP) exhibits an interference-induced surface (boundary) superconductivity with the surface critical temperature $T_{cs}$ significantly higher than the bulk one $T_{cb}$. Such a surface superconductivity is built due to the interference of the scattering quasiparticle states, rather than due to the presence of the topological bound states (TBSs). As the system goes deeper into the TP, the surface exhibits a crossover from the interference- to TBS-induced phase, where the surface enhancement of superconductivity is governed by the TBSs. Our study unveils a substantial variation in the maximal $T_{cs}$ along this crossover, attaining values being twice the maximal bulk critical temperature of the STI. Beyond shedding light on the nature of surface superconductivity in STIs, our study introduces a tangible method for experimentally manipulating their critical superconducting temperatures.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

Inversion-symmetric Electron Gases as New Platforms for Topological Planar Josephson Junctions

Intrinsic Rashba spin-orbital coupling (SOC) can exist in centrosymmetric materials with local inversion symmetry breaking. Here we show that such a SOC can induce topological superconductivity together with an in-plane Zeeman field in planar Josephson junctions formed by the centrosymmetric materials. A single Majorana mode can be created at each end of the junction. We demonstrate this result in a model based on iron-based superconductors. We derive the necessary Fermi surface condition for the topological planar junction and calculate the topological phase diagram with respect to the in-plane Zeeman field and the phase difference between the two superconductors. We provide experimental characteristics for the topological superconductivity, including the differential conductance and the Fano factor tomography which can be measured in the scanning tunneling spectroscopy. Our study reveals that the centrosymmetric systems with local-inversion-symmetry breaking can serve as new platforms for the topological planar Josephson junctions, and help to find more experimentally feasible materials for the topological superconductors.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

Dynamics of non-thermal states in optimally-doped $Bi_2Sr_2Ca_{0.92}Y_{0.08}Cu_2O_{8+δ}$ revealed by mid-infrared three-pulse spectroscopy

In the cuprates, the opening of a d-wave superconducting (SC) gap is accompanied by a redistribution of spectral weight at energies two orders of magnitude larger than this gap. This indicates the importance to the pairing mechanism of on-site electronic excitations, such as orbital transitions or charge transfer excitations. Here, we resort to a three-pulse pump-probe scheme to study the broadband non-equilibrium dielectric function in optimally-doped $Bi_2Sr_2Ca_{0.92}Y_{0.08}Cu_2O_{8+δ}$ and we identify two distinct dynamical responses: i) a blueshift of the central energy of an interband excitation peaked at 2 eV and ii) a change in spectral weight in the same energy range. Photoexcitation with near-IR and mid-IR pulses, with photon energies respectively above and below the SC gap, reveals that the transient changes in the central energy are not modified by the onset of superconductivity and do not depend on the pump photon energy. Conversely, the spectral weight dynamics strongly depends on the pump photon energy and has a discontinuity at the critical temperature. The picture that emerges is that, while high-energy pulses excite quasiparticles in both nodal and thermally inaccessible antinodal states, photoexcitation by low-energy pulses mostly accelerates the condensate and creates excitations predominantly at the nodes of the SC gap. These results, rationalized by kinetic equations for d-wave superconducting gaps, indicate that dynamical control of the momentum-dependent distribution of non-thermal quasiparticles may be achieved by the selective tuning of the photoexcitation.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

Counterintuitive Consequence of Heating in Strongly-Driven Intrinsic-Junctions of Bi$_{2}$Sr$_{2}$CaCu$_{2}$O$_{8+δ}$ Mesas

Anomalously high and sharp peaks in the conductance of intrinsic Josephson junctions in Bi$_{2}$Sr$_{2}$CaCu$_{2}$O$_{8+δ}$ (Bi2212) mesas have been universally interpreted as superconducting energy gaps, but here we show they are a result of heating. This interpretation follows from a direct comparison to the equilibrium gap, $\mathit Δ$, measured in break junctions on similar Bi2212 crystals. As the dissipated power increases with a greater number of junctions in the mesa, the conductance peak abruptly sharpens and its voltage decreases to well below 2$\mathit Δ$. This sharpening, found in our experimental data, defies conventional intuition of heating effects on tunneling spectra, but it can be understood as an instability into a nonequilibrium two-phase coexistent state. The measured peak positions occur accurately within the voltage range that an S-shaped backbending is found in the {\it calculated} current-voltage curves for spatially {\it uniform} self-heating and that S-shape implies the potential for the uniform state to be unstable.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

Anomalous doping effect on the superconducting state in CeCoIn$_5$ at high magnetic fields

We investigated the effect of electron and hole doping on the high-field low-temperature superconducting state in CeCoIn$_5$ by measuring specific heat of CeCo(In$_{\rm 1-x}$M$_{\rm x}$)$_5$ with M=Sn, Cd and Hg and $x$ up to 0.33% at temperatures down to 0.1\,K and fields up to 14\,T. Although both Cd- and Hg-doping (hole-doping) suppresses the zero-field $T_c$ monotonically, $H_{c2}$ increases with small amounts of doping and has a maximum around $x$=0.2% (M=Cd). On the other hand, with Sn-doping (electron-doping) both zero-field $T_c$ and $H_{c2}$ decrease monotonically. The critical temperature for the high-field low-temperature superconducting state (so called {\it Q}-state) correlates with $H_{c2}$ and $T_c$, which we interpret in support of the superconducting origin of this state.

cond-mat.str-el↗

The effect of varying Fe-content on transport properties of K intercalated iron selenide KxFe2-ySe2

We report the successful growth of high-quality single crystals of potassium intercalated iron selenide KxFe2-ySe2 by Bridgeman method. The effect of iron vacancies on transport properties was investigated by electrical resistivity and magnetic susceptibility measurements. With varying iron content, the system passes from semiconducting/insulating to superconducting state. Comparing with superconductivity, the anomalous "hump" effect in the normal state resistivity is much more sensitive to the iron deficiency. The electrical resistivity exhibits a perfect metallic behavior (R300K/R35K=42) for the sample with little iron vacancies. Our results suggest that the anomalous "hump" effect in the normal state resistivity may be due to the ordering process of the cation vacancies in this non-stoichiometric compound rather than magnetic/structure transition. A trace of superconductivity extending up to near 44 K was also detected in some crystals of KxFe2-ySe2, which has the highest Tc of the reported iron selenides.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

Microstructure and Fe-vacancy ordering in the KFexSe2 superconducting system

Structural investigations by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) on KFexSe2 with 1.5 \leq x \leq 1.8 have revealed a rich variety of microstructure phenomena, the KFe1.5Se2 crystal often shows a superstructure modulation along the [310] zone-axis direction, this superstructure can be well interpreted by the Fe-vacancy order within the a-b plane. Increase of Fe-concentration in the KFexSe2 materials could not only result in the appearance of superconductivity but also yield clear alternations of microstructure. Structural inhomogeneity, the complex superstructures and defect structures in the superconducting KFe1.8Se2 sample have been investigated based on the high-resolution TEM.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

Block spin magnetism and metal-insulator transition in a two-dimensional Hubbard model with perfect vacancy superstructure

We study the phase diagram of a square lattice Hubbard model with a perfect vacancy superstructure. The model can be also defined on a new bipartite lattice with each building blocks consisting of a minimal square. The non-interacting model is exactly solved and a mid-band gap opens at the Fermi energy in the weak inter-block hopping regime. Increasing the Coulomb interaction will develop the Néel antiferromagnetic order with varying block spin moments. The metal-insulator transition with $U_{\rm MI}$ smaller than the one without vacancies occurs above the magnetic instability $U_{\rm M}$. The emergent intermediate magnetic metal phase develops substantially in the moderate inter-block hopping regime. Drastic increases in the ordered moment and gap magnitude on the verge of non-interacting band insulator signal a possible distinction between the magnetic semi-conductor and the Mott-insulator. The implications of these results for the recent discovered (A,Tl)$_{y}$Fe$_{2-x}$Se$_2$ compounds are discussed.

cond-mat.str-el↗

The pairing state in KFe2As2 studied by measurements of the magnetic vortex lattice

Understanding the mechanism and symmetry of electron pairing in iron-based superconductors represents an important challenge in condensed matter physics [1-3]. The observation of magnetic flux lines - "vortices" - in a superconductor can contribute to this issue, because the spatial variation of magnetic field reflects the pairing. Unlike many other iron pnictides, our KFe2As2 crystals have very weak vortex pinning, allowing small-angle-neutron-scattering (SANS) observations of the intrinsic vortex lattice (VL). We observe nearly isotropic hexagonal packing of vortices, without VL-symmetry transitions up to high fields along the fourfold c-axis of the crystals, indicating rather small anisotropy of the superconducting properties around this axis. This rules out gap nodes parallel to the c-axis, and thus d-wave and also anisotropic s-wave pairing [2, 3]. The strong temperature-dependence of the intensity down to T<<Tc indicates either widely different full gaps on different Fermi surface sheets, or nodal lines perpendicular to the axis.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

Structural Evolution of One-dimensional Spin Ladder Compounds Sr14-xCaxCu24O41 with Ca doping and Related Hole Redistribution Evidence

Incommensurate crystal structures of spin ladder series Sr14-xCaxCu24O41 (x=3, 7, 11, 12.2) were characterized by powder neutron scattering method and refined using the superspace group Xmmm(00γ)ss0 (equivalent to superspace group Fmmm(0,0,1+γ)ss0); X stands for non-standard centering (0,0,0,0), (0,1/2,1/2,1/2), (1/2,1/2,0,0), (1/2,0,1/2,1/2)) with a modulated structure model. The Ca doping effects on the lattice parameters, atomic displacement, Cu-O distances, Cu-O bond angles and Cu bond valence sum were characterized. The refined results show that the CuO4 planar units in both chain and ladder sublattices become closer to square shape with an increase of Ca doping. The Cu bond valence sum calculation provided new evidence for the charge transfer from the chains to ladders (approximately 0.16 holes per Cu from x=0 to 12.2). The charge transfer was attributed to two different mechanisms: (a) the Cu-O bond distance shrinkage on the ladder; (b) increase of the interaction between two sublattices, resulting in Cu-O bonding between the chains and ladders. The low temperature structural refinement resulted in the similar conclusion, with a slight charge backflow to the chains.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

Topological superconducting phases in disordered quantum wires with strong spin-orbit coupling

Zeeman fields can drive semiconductor quantum wires with strong spin-orbit coupling and in proximity to s-wave superconductors into a topological phase which supports end Majorana fermions and offers an attractive platform for realizing topological quantum information processing. Here, we investigate how potential disorder affects the topological phase by a combination of analytical and numerical approaches. Most prominently, we find that the robustness of the topological phase against disorder depends sensitively and non-monotonously on the Zeeman field applied to the wire.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Enhancement of the critical temperature in iron-pnictide superconductors by finite size effects

Recent experiments have shown that, in agreement with previous theoretical predictions, superconductivity in metallic nanostructures can be enhanced with respect to the bulk limit. Motivated by these results we study finite size effects (FSE) in an iron-pnictide superconductor. For realistic values of the bulk critical temperature Tc ~ 20-50K, we find that, in the nanoscale region L ~ 10 nm, Tc(L) has a complicated oscillating pattern as a function of the system size L. A substantial enhancement of Tc with respect to the bulk limit is observed for different boundary conditions, geometries and two microscopic models of superconductivity. Thermal fluctuations, which break long range order, are still small in this region. Finally we show that the differential conductance, an experimental observable, is also very sensitive to FSE.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

Decay rates for topological memories encoded with Majorana fermions

Recently there have been numerous proposals to create Majorana zero modes in solid state heterojunctions, superconducting wires and optical lattices. Putatively the information stored in qubits constructed from these modes is protected from various forms of decoherence. Here we show that this is not the case. We present a generic method to study the effect of external perturbations on these modes. We focus on the case where there are no interactions between different Majorana modes either directly or through intermediary fermions. To quantify the rate of loss of the information stored in the Majorana modes we study the two-time correlators for qubits built from them. We analyze a generic gapped fermionic environment (bath) interacting via tunneling with different components of the qubit (different Majorana modes). We find that static (time-independent) perturbations are not harmful, and just lead to a depletion of the information stored that saturates in the long-time limit. On the other hand we find markedly different results for dynamic (time dependent) systems, with no coherence surviving in the long time limit. In particular we find that dephasing and energy fluctuations of the modes in the fermionic bath have adverse effects on the Majorana memories.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗