Extreme enhancement of superconductivity in epitaxial aluminum near the monolayer limit
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Extreme enhancement of superconductivity in epitaxial aluminum near the monolayer limit. / van Weerdenburg, Werner M. J.; Kamlapure, Anand; Fyhn, Eirik Holm; Huang, Xiaochun; van Mullekom, Niels P. E.; Steinbrecher, Manuel; Krogstrup, Peter; Linder, Jacob; Khajetoorians, Alexander Ako.
In: Science Advances, Vol. 9, No. 9, 5500, 03.03.2023.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Extreme enhancement of superconductivity in epitaxial aluminum near the monolayer limit
AU - van Weerdenburg, Werner M. J.
AU - Kamlapure, Anand
AU - Fyhn, Eirik Holm
AU - Huang, Xiaochun
AU - van Mullekom, Niels P. E.
AU - Steinbrecher, Manuel
AU - Krogstrup, Peter
AU - Linder, Jacob
AU - Khajetoorians, Alexander Ako
PY - 2023/3/3
Y1 - 2023/3/3
N2 - BCS theory has been widely successful at describing elemental bulk superconductors. Yet, as the length scales of such superconductors approach the atomic limit, dimensionality as well as the environment of the supercon-ductor can lead to drastically different and unpredictable superconducting behavior. Here, we report a threefold enhancement of the superconducting critical temperature and gap size in ultrathin epitaxial Al films on Si(111), when approaching the 2D limit, based on high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/ STS) measurements. Using spatially resolved spectroscopy, we characterize the vortex structure in the presence of a strong Zeeman field and find evidence of a paramagnetic Meissner effect originating from odd-frequency pairing contributions. These results illustrate two notable influences of reduced dimensionality on a BCS super-conductor and present a platform to study BCS superconductivity in large magnetic fields.
AB - BCS theory has been widely successful at describing elemental bulk superconductors. Yet, as the length scales of such superconductors approach the atomic limit, dimensionality as well as the environment of the supercon-ductor can lead to drastically different and unpredictable superconducting behavior. Here, we report a threefold enhancement of the superconducting critical temperature and gap size in ultrathin epitaxial Al films on Si(111), when approaching the 2D limit, based on high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/ STS) measurements. Using spatially resolved spectroscopy, we characterize the vortex structure in the presence of a strong Zeeman field and find evidence of a paramagnetic Meissner effect originating from odd-frequency pairing contributions. These results illustrate two notable influences of reduced dimensionality on a BCS super-conductor and present a platform to study BCS superconductivity in large magnetic fields.
KW - ENERGY-GAP
KW - SPIN POLARIZATION
KW - CRITICAL FIELD
KW - FILMS
KW - TEMPERATURE
KW - TRANSITION
KW - INTERFACES
U2 - 10.1126/sciadv.adf5500
DO - 10.1126/sciadv.adf5500
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 36857452
VL - 9
JO - Science advances
JF - Science advances
SN - 2375-2548
IS - 9
M1 - 5500
ER -
ID: 344327467