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Cortés-Del Río E, Trivini S, Pascual JI, Cherkez V, Mallet P, Veuillen JY, Cuevas JC, Brihuega I. Shaping Graphene Superconductivity with Nanometer Precision. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2308439. [PMID: 38112230 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202308439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Graphene holds great potential for superconductivity due to its pure 2D nature, the ability to tune its carrier density through electrostatic gating, and its unique, relativistic-like electronic properties. At present, still far from controlling and understanding graphene superconductivity, mainly because the selective introduction of superconducting properties to graphene is experimentally very challenging. Here, a method is developed that enables shaping at will graphene superconductivity through a precise control of graphene-superconductor junctions. The method combines the proximity effect with scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) manipulation capabilities. Pb nano-islands are first grown that locally induce superconductivity in graphene. Using a STM, Pb nano-islands can be selectively displaced, over different types of graphene surfaces, with nanometre scale precision, in any direction, over distances of hundreds of nanometres. This opens an exciting playground where a large number of predefined graphene-superconductor hybrid structures can be investigated with atomic scale precision. To illustrate the potential, a series of experiments are performed, rationalized by the quasi-classical theory of superconductivity, going from the fundamental understanding of superconductor-graphene-superconductor heterostructures to the construction of superconductor nanocorrals, further used as "portable" experimental probes of local magnetic moments in graphene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Cortés-Del Río
- Departamento Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, E-28049, Spain
- Condensed Matter Physics Center (IFIMAC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, E-28049, Spain
| | | | - José I Pascual
- CIC nanoGUNE-BRTA, Donostia-San Sebastián, 20018, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, 48013, Spain
| | - Vladimir Cherkez
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Institut Néel, Grenoble, F-38400, France
- CNRS, Institut Neel, Grenoble, F-38042, France
| | - Pierre Mallet
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Institut Néel, Grenoble, F-38400, France
- CNRS, Institut Neel, Grenoble, F-38042, France
| | - Jean-Yves Veuillen
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Institut Néel, Grenoble, F-38400, France
- CNRS, Institut Neel, Grenoble, F-38042, France
| | - Juan C Cuevas
- Condensed Matter Physics Center (IFIMAC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, E-28049, Spain
- Departamento Física Teórica de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, E-28049, Spain
- Instituto Nicolás Cabrera, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, E-28049, Spain
| | - Iván Brihuega
- Departamento Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, E-28049, Spain
- Condensed Matter Physics Center (IFIMAC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, E-28049, Spain
- Instituto Nicolás Cabrera, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, E-28049, Spain
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2
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Liu Y, Li C, Xue FH, Su W, Wang Y, Huang H, Yang H, Chen J, Guan D, Li Y, Zheng H, Liu C, Qin M, Wang X, Wang R, Li DY, Liu PN, Wang S, Jia J. Quantum Phase Transition in Magnetic Nanographenes on a Lead Superconductor. NANO LETTERS 2023; 23:9704-9710. [PMID: 37870505 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c02208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Quantum spins, also known as spin operators that preserve SU(2) symmetry, lack a specific orientation in space and are hypothesized to display unique interactions with superconductivity. However, spin-orbit coupling and crystal field typically cause a significant magnetic anisotropy in d/f shell spins on surfaces. Here, we fabricate atomically precise S = 1/2 magnetic nanographenes on Pb(111) through engineering sublattice imbalance in the graphene honeycomb lattice. Through tuning the magnetic exchange strength between the unpaired spin and Cooper pairs, a quantum phase transition from the singlet to the doublet state has been observed, consistent with the quantum spin models. From our calculations, the particle-hole asymmetry is induced by the Coulomb scattering potential and gives a transition point about kBTk ≈ 1.6Δ. Our work demonstrates that delocalized π electron magnetism hosts highly tunable magnetic bound states, which can be further developed to study the Majorana bound states and other rich quantum phases of low-dimensional quantum spins on superconductors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Structures and Quantum Control (Ministry of Education), TD Lee Institute, Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
- Hefei National Laboratory, Hefei 230088, China
- Shanghai Research Center for Quantum Sciences, 99 Xiupu Road, Shanghai 201315, China
| | - Can Li
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Structures and Quantum Control (Ministry of Education), TD Lee Institute, Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
- Hefei National Laboratory, Hefei 230088, China
- Shanghai Research Center for Quantum Sciences, 99 Xiupu Road, Shanghai 201315, China
| | - Fu-Hua Xue
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Wei Su
- Beijing Computational Science Research Center, Beijing 100084, China
- College of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Center for Computational Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610068, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Haili Huang
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Structures and Quantum Control (Ministry of Education), TD Lee Institute, Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
- Hefei National Laboratory, Hefei 230088, China
- Shanghai Research Center for Quantum Sciences, 99 Xiupu Road, Shanghai 201315, China
| | - Hao Yang
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Structures and Quantum Control (Ministry of Education), TD Lee Institute, Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
- Hefei National Laboratory, Hefei 230088, China
- Shanghai Research Center for Quantum Sciences, 99 Xiupu Road, Shanghai 201315, China
| | - Jiayi Chen
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Structures and Quantum Control (Ministry of Education), TD Lee Institute, Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
- Hefei National Laboratory, Hefei 230088, China
- Shanghai Research Center for Quantum Sciences, 99 Xiupu Road, Shanghai 201315, China
| | - Dandan Guan
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Structures and Quantum Control (Ministry of Education), TD Lee Institute, Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
- Hefei National Laboratory, Hefei 230088, China
- Shanghai Research Center for Quantum Sciences, 99 Xiupu Road, Shanghai 201315, China
| | - Yaoyi Li
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Structures and Quantum Control (Ministry of Education), TD Lee Institute, Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
- Hefei National Laboratory, Hefei 230088, China
- Shanghai Research Center for Quantum Sciences, 99 Xiupu Road, Shanghai 201315, China
| | - Hao Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Structures and Quantum Control (Ministry of Education), TD Lee Institute, Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
- Hefei National Laboratory, Hefei 230088, China
- Shanghai Research Center for Quantum Sciences, 99 Xiupu Road, Shanghai 201315, China
| | - Canhua Liu
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Structures and Quantum Control (Ministry of Education), TD Lee Institute, Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
- Hefei National Laboratory, Hefei 230088, China
- Shanghai Research Center for Quantum Sciences, 99 Xiupu Road, Shanghai 201315, China
| | - Mingpu Qin
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Structures and Quantum Control (Ministry of Education), TD Lee Institute, Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Xiaoqun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Structures and Quantum Control (Ministry of Education), TD Lee Institute, Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Rui Wang
- National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Deng-Yuan Li
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Pei-Nian Liu
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Shiyong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Structures and Quantum Control (Ministry of Education), TD Lee Institute, Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
- Hefei National Laboratory, Hefei 230088, China
- Shanghai Research Center for Quantum Sciences, 99 Xiupu Road, Shanghai 201315, China
| | - Jinfeng Jia
- Key Laboratory of Artificial Structures and Quantum Control (Ministry of Education), TD Lee Institute, Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
- Hefei National Laboratory, Hefei 230088, China
- Shanghai Research Center for Quantum Sciences, 99 Xiupu Road, Shanghai 201315, China
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3
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Lock EH, Lee J, Choi DS, Bedford RG, Karna SP, Roy AK. Materials Innovations for Quantum Technology Acceleration: A Perspective. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023:e2201064. [PMID: 37021584 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202201064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
A broad perspective of quantum technology state of the art is provided and critical stumbling blocks for quantum technology development are identified. Innovations in demonstrating and understanding electron entanglement phenomena using bulk and low-dimensional materials and structures are summarized. Correlated photon-pair generation via processes such as nonlinear optics is discussed. Application of qubits to current and future high-impact quantum technology development is presented. Approaches for realizing unique qubit features for large-scale encrypted communication, sensing, computing, and other technologies are still evolving; thus, materials innovation is crucially important. A perspective on materials modeling approaches for quantum technology acceleration that incorporate physics-based AI/ML, integrated with quantum metrology is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgeniya H Lock
- Materials Science and Technology Division, U. S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, 20375, USA
| | - Jonghoon Lee
- Air Force Research Laboratory, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, AFRL/RXAN, 2179 12th St, WPAFB, OH, 45433, USA
- ARCTOS Technology Solutions, 1270 N Fairfield Rd, Beavercreek, OH, 45432, USA
| | - Daniel S Choi
- DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory, Weapons and Materials Research Directorate, FCDD-RLW, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Beavercreek, MD, 21015, USA
| | - Robert G Bedford
- Air Force Research Laboratory, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, AFRL/RXAN, 2179 12th St, WPAFB, OH, 45433, USA
| | - Shashi P Karna
- DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory, Weapons and Materials Research Directorate, FCDD-RLW, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Beavercreek, MD, 21015, USA
| | - Ajit K Roy
- Air Force Research Laboratory, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, AFRL/RXAN, 2179 12th St, WPAFB, OH, 45433, USA
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4
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Liu JC, Pawlak R, Wang X, Chen H, D’Astolfo P, Drechsel C, Zhou P, Häner R, Decurtins S, Aschauer U, Liu SX, Wulfhekel W, Meyer E. Proximity-Induced Superconductivity in Atomically Precise Nanographene on Ag/Nb(110). ACS MATERIALS LETTERS 2023; 5:1083-1090. [PMID: 37034384 PMCID: PMC10074385 DOI: 10.1021/acsmaterialslett.2c00955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Obtaining a robust superconducting state in atomically precise nanographene (NG) structures by proximity to a superconductor could foster the discovery of topological superconductivity in graphene. On-surface synthesis of such NGs has been achieved on noble metals and metal oxides; however, it is still absent on superconductors. Here, we present a synthetic method to induce superconductivity of polymeric chains and NGs adsorbed on the superconducting Nb(110) substrate covered by thin Ag films. Using atomic force microscopy at low temperature, we characterize the chemical structure of each subproduct formed on the superconducting Ag layer. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy further allows us to elucidate the electronic properties of these nanostructures, which consistently show a superconducting gap.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung-Ching Liu
- Department
of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Rémy Pawlak
- Department
of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Xing Wang
- Department
of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, Bern 3012, Switzerland
| | - Hongyan Chen
- Physikalisches
Institut, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Wolfgang-Gaede-Strasse 1, Karlsruhe 76131, Germany
| | - Philipp D’Astolfo
- Department
of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Carl Drechsel
- Department
of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ping Zhou
- Department
of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, Bern 3012, Switzerland
| | - Robert Häner
- Department
of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, Bern 3012, Switzerland
| | - Silvio Decurtins
- Department
of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, Bern 3012, Switzerland
| | - Ulrich Aschauer
- Department
of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, Bern 3012, Switzerland
| | - Shi-Xia Liu
- Department
of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, Bern 3012, Switzerland
| | - Wulf Wulfhekel
- Physikalisches
Institut, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Wolfgang-Gaede-Strasse 1, Karlsruhe 76131, Germany
| | - Ernst Meyer
- Department
of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
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5
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Trivini S, Ortuzar J, Vaxevani K, Li J, Bergeret FS, Cazalilla MA, Pascual JI. Cooper Pair Excitation Mediated by a Molecular Quantum Spin on a Superconducting Proximitized Gold Film. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2023; 130:136004. [PMID: 37067302 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.130.136004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Breaking a correlated pair in a superconductor requires an even number of fermions providing at least twice the pairing energy Δ. Here, we show that a single tunneling electron can also excite a pair breaking excitation in a proximitized gold film in the presence of magnetic impurities. Combining scanning tunneling spectroscopy with theoretical modeling, we map the excitation spectrum of an Fe-porphyrin molecule on the Au/V(100) proximitized surface into a manifold of entangled Yu-Shiba-Rusinov and spin excitations. Pair excitations emerge in the tunneling spectra as peaks outside the spectral gap only in the strong coupling regime, where the presence of a bound quasiparticle in the ground state ensures the even fermion parity of the excitation. Our results unravel the quantum nature of magnetic impurities on superconductors and demonstrate that pair excitations unequivocally reveal the parity of the ground state.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jon Ortuzar
- CIC nanoGUNE-BRTA, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
| | | | - Jingchen Li
- CIC nanoGUNE-BRTA, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
- School of Physics, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - F Sebastian Bergeret
- Centro de Física de Materiales (CFM-MPC) Centro Mixto CSIC-UPV/EHU, E-20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
- Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC), 20018 Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Miguel A Cazalilla
- Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC), 20018 Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, 48013 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Jose Ignacio Pascual
- CIC nanoGUNE-BRTA, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, 48013 Bilbao, Spain
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