CyberSec Research

We present a topological mechanism for superconductivity emerging from Chern-2 insulators. While, naively, time-reversal symmetry breaking is expected to prevent superconductivity, it turns out that the opposite is the case: An explicit model calculation for a generalized attractive-U Haldane-Hubbard model demonstrates that superconductivity is only stabilized near the quantum anomalous Hall state, but not near a trivial, time-reversal symmetric band insulator. As standard Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer-like mean-field theory fails to capture any superconducting state, we explain this using an effective fractionalized field theory involving fermionic chargeons, bosonic colorons and an emergent U(1) gauge field. When the chargeons form a gapped topological band structure, the proliferation of single monopoles of this gauge field is forbidden. However, long-ranged monopole-antimonopole correlations emerge, and we argue that those correspond to superconducting order. Using random phase approximation on top of extensive slave-rotor mean-field calculations we characterize coherence length and stiffness of the superconductor. Thereby, we deduce the phase diagram in parameter space and furthermore discuss the effect of doping, temperature and an external magnetic field. We complement the fractionalized theory with calculations using an effective spin model and Gutzwiller projected wavefunctions. While mostly based on a simple toy model, we argue that our findings contribute to a better understanding of superconductivity emerging out of spin- and valley polarized rhombohedral graphene multilayers in a parameter regime with nearby quantum anomalous Hall insulators.

Intriguing analogies between the nickelates and the cuprates provide a promising avenue for unraveling the microscopic mechanisms underlying high-$T_c$ superconductivity. While electron correlation effects in the nickelates have been extensively studied, the role of electron-phonon coupling (EPC) remains highly controversial. Here, by taking pristine LaNiO$_2$ as an exemplar nickelate, we present an in-depth study of EPC for both the non-magnetic (NM) and the $C$-type antiferromagnetic ($C$-AFM) phase using advanced density functional theory methods without invoking $U$ or other free parameters. The weak EPC strength $\lambda$ in the NM phase is found to be greatly enhanced ($\sim$4$\times$) due to the presence of magnetism in the $C$-AFM phase. This enhancement arises from strong interactions between the flat bands associated with the Ni-3$d_{z^2}$ orbitals and the low-frequency phonon modes driven by the vibrations of Ni and La atoms. The resulting phonon softening is shown to yield a distinctive kink in the electronic structure around 15 meV, which would provide an experimentally testable signature of our predictions. Our study highlights the critical role of local magnetic moments and interply EPC in the nickelate.

Supercurrent rectification, nonreciprocal response of superconducting properties sensitive to the polarity of bias and magnetic field, has attracted growing interest as an ideal diode. While the superconducting rectification effect is a consequence of the asymmetric vortex pinning, the mechanisms to develop its asymmetric potentials have been a subject of ongoing debate, mainly focusing on microscopic breaking of spatial inversion symmetry and macroscopic imbalance of the sample structure. Here, we report on comparative study of the superconducting diode effect and nonreciprocal resistance in a superconducting Fe(Se,Te)/FeTe heterostructure. In normal state, we observe finite nonreciprocal resistance as a hallmark of the spin-orbit interaction with structural inversion asymmetry. In the superconducting state, we find that the strongly enhanced nonreciprocal coefficient in transition regime is directly coupled to the superconducting diode efficiency through a universal scaling law, indicating the role of spin-momentum-locked state on the asymmetric pinning potential. Our findings, providing a unified picture of the superconducting rectification, pave the way for functionalizing superconducting diode devices.

A new ternary compound Fe$_{4-x}$VTe$_{4-y}$ ($x=1.01$, $y=0.74$) with Ti5Te4-type structure is identified. Fe and V atoms tend to occupy different crystallographic positions and form quasi-one-dimensional (quasi-1D) Fe-V chains along the c-axis. Millimeter-sized single crystal of Fe$_{2.99}$VTe$_{3.26}$ (FVT) with slender-stick shape could be grown by chemical vapor transport method which reflects its quasi-1D crystal structure. Magnetization measurements reveal that FVT orders antiferromagnetically below T$_N$=93 K with strong easy ab-plane magnetic anisotropy. Although a weak glassy-like behavior appears below 10 K, FVT is dominant by long-range antiferromagnetic order in contrast to the spin-glass state in previously reported isostructural Fe$_{5}$Te$_{4}$. We also synthesize V$_{4.64}$Te$_4$ with similar quasi-1D V-chains and find it has weak anomalies at 144 K on both resistivity and susceptibility curves. However, no clear evidence is found for the development of magnetic or charge order. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Curie-Weiss fit reveal that the effective moments for Fe$^{2+}$ and V$^{4+}$ in both compounds have large deviations from the conventional local moment model, which may possibly result from the formation of Fe/V metal-metal bondings. Furthermore the resistivity of both FVT and V$_{4.64}$Te$_4$ exhibits semiconducting-like temperature-dependent behavior but with average values close to typical bad metals, which resembles the transport behavior in the normal state of Fe-based superconductors. These quasi-1D compounds have shown interesting physical properties for future condensed matter physics research.

Recent developments in theory, synthesis, and experimental probes of quantum systems have revealed many suitable candidate materials to host chiral superconductivity. Chiral superconductors are a subset of unconventional superconductors which break time-reversal symmetry. Time-reversal symmetry breaking is possible given the order parameter's two-component nature, allowing for a complex relative phase. In this article, we focus on discussing the underlying symmetry aspects that allow for the development of chiral superconductivity. We provide an introductory account of key concepts in group theory and apply these to the classification of order parameters and the generalization of the Landau theory of phase transitions in the context of superconductivity.

Recently, the bilayer perovskite nickelate La$_3$Ni$_2$O$_7$ has been reported to exhibit high-temperature superconductivity (SC) near $80$K under a moderate pressure of about $14$GPa. To investigate the underlying pairing mechanism and symmetry in this complex system, we propose and analyze a mixed spin-$1$ and spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ bilayer $t$-$J$ model in the strong coupling regime. This model explicitly incorporates the crucial role of strong Hund's coupling, which favors the formation of local spin-triplet states from the two onsite $E_g$ orbital electrons at half-filling. We further investigate the model using both slave-particle mean-field theory and the density matrix renormalization group method. Our simulation results reveal that the dominate pairing channel is the interlayer one in the $3d_{x^2-y^2}$ orbital. The Hund's coupling is shown to enhance SC within a reasonable physical range. Moreover, electron doping strengthens SC by increasing carrier density; in contrast, hole doping weakens SC. These findings offer critical insights into the unconventional SC of pressurized La$_3$Ni$_2$O$_7$ and underline the important role of orbital-selective behavior and Hund's rule.

Understanding high-temperature superconductivity in cuprates requires knowledge of the metallic phase it evolves from, particularly the pseudogap profoundly affecting the electronic properties at low carrier densities. A key question is the influence of chemical disorder, which is ubiquitous but exceedingly difficult to model. Using resonant x-ray scattering, we identified two-dimensional charge order in stoichiometric YBa$_2$Cu$_4$O$_8$ ($T_c$ = 80 K), which is nearly free of chemical disorder. The charge order amplitude shows a concave temperature dependence and vanishes sharply at $T^*$ = 200 K, the onset of a prominent pseudogap previously determined by spectroscopy, suggesting a causal link between these phenomena. The gradual onset of charge order in other cuprates is thus likely attributable to an inhomogeneous distribution of charge ordering temperatures due to disorder induced by chemical substitution. The relationship between the pseudogap and the disorder-induced gradual freeze-out of charge carriers remains a central issue in research on high-$T_c$ superconductors.

We investigate the magnetic field distribution in multi-component superconductors. We examine a layered superconductor and a two-component one-layer superconductor. We evaluate the field distribution in the presence of a half-flux quantum vortex with a kink structure in the phase space of gap functions. We also examine the magnetic field distribution of a knot soliton which is formulated in a two-component superconductor. We investigate the effect of geometric constraints for multi-component superconductors, where the geometric constraint means that the system is compactified in one direction so that the current in this direction becomes vanishingly small. This corresponds to the gauge fixing in this direction. An unconventional magnetic field distribution takes place; here the unconventional means that the magnetic field is screened incompletely which would be called the anomalous Meissner effect. We argue that this anomalous behavior creates a massless gauge field.

We report a comprehensive study of the uniaxial stress response of charge-density-wave (CDW) correlations in detwinned single crystals of the high temperature superconductor YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6+x}$ (YBCO$_{6+x}$) with $0.40 \leq x \leq 0.93$ (hole-doping levels $0.072 \leq p \leq 0.168$) by means of Cu $L_3$-edge resonant energy-integrated x-ray scattering (REXS). We show that the influence of uniaxial stress is strongly doping dependent: the quasi-two-dimensional CDW is enhanced by in-plane uniaxial stress in a wide hole doping range ($0.45 \leq x \leq 0.80$), but only barely affected in the most underdoped and optimally doped samples ($x = 0.40$ and 0.93), where the CDW correlation length is minimal. A stress-induced three-dimensionally long-range ordered (3D) CDW was observed only in YBCO$_{6.50}$ and YBCO$_{6.67}$. The temperature dependence of the 3D CDW clearly indicates a strong competition with superconductivity. Based on the systematic strain-, doping-, and temperature-dependent REXS measurements reported here, we discuss the relationship between charge order and superconductivity in YBCO$_{6+x}$ and other cuprates.

The results of studies of BaFe$_2$As$_2$ single crystals doped with cobalt by means of resistivity and microwave absorption measurement are reported. A theoretical description of the behavior of the microwave absorption amplitude is made taking into account the temperature dependence of resistivity, magnetic susceptibility and the lifetime of spin fluctuations. An assumption has been made that the deviation from the linear dependence of resistivity on temperature at $T<100$ K is not related to the electron-electron scattering mechanism, but it is due to the appearance of nematic fluctuations. Estimates of the rate of scattering by spin fluctuations indicate their nematic nature at temperatures near the structural transition.

The interplay between superconductivity and charge density wave has often been studied from an equilibrium point of view. For example, using static tuning knobs such as doping, magnetic field and pressure, superconductivity can be enhanced or suppressed. The resulting effect on the co-existing charge density wave order, if any, is judged by variations in its ground state properties such as the ordering temperature or the spatial correlation. Such an approach can be understood as coordinated static displacements of two coupled order parameters within a Ginzburg-Landau description, evincing their interplay as either co-operative or competing but does not provide further microscopic information about the interaction. In order to assess such information, we dynamically perturb both orders from equilibrium and observe their coupling directly in the time-domain. We show that high-field multicycle terahertz pulses drive both the Higgs amplitude fluctuations of the superconducting order as well as collective fluctuations of the charge order in an electron-doped cuprate, resulting in characteristic third harmonic generation. A notable time delay is manifested between their respective driven dynamics. We propose that this may signify the important energy scale describing their coupling or imply a terahertz field-depinned charge density wave that destroys macroscopic superconductivity. Our work demonstrates a holistic approach for investigating coupled superconducting and charge density wave orders, which may shed novel light on their intertwined presence and widespread fluctuations in many classes of unconventional superconductors.

In quenched disordered systems, the existence of ordering is generally believed to be only possible in the weak disorder regime (disregarding models of spin-glass type). In particular, sufficiently large random fields is expected to prohibit any finite temperature ordering. Here, we prove that this is not necessarily true, and show rigorously that for physically relevant systems in $\mathbb{Z}^d$ with $d\ge 3$, disorder can induce ordering that is \textit{infinitely stable}, in the sense that (1) there exists ordering at arbitrarily large disorder strength and (2) the transition temperature is asymptotically nonzero in the limit of infinite disorder. Analogous results can hold in 2 dimensions provided that the underlying graph is non-planar (e.g., $\mathbb{Z}^2$ sites with nearest and next-nearest neighbor interactions).

This study investigates the molecular beam epitaxial (MBE) growth of titanium nitride (TiN) thin films, achieving a high residual resistivity ratio (RRR) of 15.8. We observed a strong correlation between growth temperature and crystalline quality, as reflected in both RRR values and lattice parameter variations. Characterization of superconductivity yielded a Ginzburg-Landau coherence length of 60.4 $\pm$ 0.6 nm, significantly higher than typical sputtered films, suggesting improved superconducting coherence. First-principles calculations, in conjunction with experimental data, provided detailed insights into the electronic structure and transport properties of the TiN films. Temperature-dependent Hall coefficient measurements further revealed the influence of anisotropic scattering mechanisms. These findings establish a promising route for the development of nitride-based superconducting materials for advanced quantum computing technologies.

We measured the relaxation and decoherence rates of a superconducting transmon qubit in a resonator-free setting. In our experiments, the qubit is coupled to an open coplanar waveguide such that the transmission of microwaves through this line depends on the qubit's state. To determine the occupation of the first excited qubit energy level, we introduced a two-pulse technique. The first applied pulse, at a frequency close to the eigenfrequency of the qubit, serves to excite the qubit. A second pulse is then used for probing the transition between the first and second excited energy levels. Utilizing this measurement technique allowed for the reconstruction of the relaxation dynamics and Rabi oscillations. Furthermore, we demonstrate the consistency between the extracted parameters and the corresponding estimations from frequency-domain measurements.

The extremely low superfluid density and unprecedented tunability of oxide interface superconductors provide an ideal platform for studying fluctuations in two-dimensional superconductors. In this work, we have fabricated a LaAlO3/KTaO3 interface superconductor patterned with a nanohoneycomb array of insulating islands. Little-Parks-like magnetoresistance oscillations have been observed, which are dictated by the superconducting flux quantum h/2e. Moreover, an anomalous negative magnetoresistance (ANMR) appears under a weak magnetic field, suggesting magnetic-field-enhanced superconductivity. By examining their dependences on temperature, measurement current, and electrical gating, we conclude that both phenomena are associated with superconducting order parameter: The h/2e oscillations provide direct evidence of Cooper pair transport; the ANMR is interpreted as a consequence of multiple connected narrow superconducting paths with strong fluctuations.

Electron-electron and electron-phonon interactions are responsible for the formation of spin, charge, and superconducting correlations in layered quantum materials. A paradigmatic model for such materials that captures both kinds of interactions is the two-dimensional Hubbard-Holstein model with a dispersionless Einstein phonon. In this work, we provide a detailed analysis of the magnetic, density, and superconducting fluctuations at and away from half-filling. To that end, we employ the functional renormalization group using the recently introduced extension of the single-boson exchange formulation. More precisely, we go beyond previous approaches to the model by resolving the full frequency dependence of the two-particle vertex and taking into account the feedback from the electronic self-energy. We perform broad parameter scans in the space of Hubbard repulsion, electron-phonon coupling strength, and phonon frequency to explore the leading magnetic, density, and superconducting susceptibilities from the adiabatic to the anti-adiabatic regime. Our numerical data reveal that self-energy effects lead to an enhancement of the $d$-wave superconducting susceptibility towards larger phonon frequencies, in contrast to earlier isotope-effect studies. At small phonon frequencies, large density contributions to the $s$-wave superconducting susceptibility change sign and eventually lead to a reduction of $s$-wave superconductivity with increasing electron-phonon coupling, signaling the breakdown of Migdal-Eliashberg theory. We analyze our findings systematically, employing detailed diagnostics of the intertwined fluctuations and pinning down the various positive and negative isotope effects of the physical susceptibilities.

By integrating a dielectric microwave resonator with a piezoelectric-based strain device, we develop an in situ strain-tunable microwave spectroscopy technique that enables contactless measurements of superconducting properties under strain. In the slightly overdoped iron-based superconductor BaFe$_2$(As$_{1-x}$P$_x$)$_2$, we successfully observe a systematic strain dependence of the superconducting transition, manifested as changes in the quality factor and resonance frequency shifts. Both compressive and tensile anisotropic lattice distortions along the [110]${_{\rm T}}$ direction suppress superconductivity, consistent with standard transport measurements, highlighting the pivotal role of nematic fluctuations in the superconducting mechanism. Our strain-tunable cavity therefore serves as a powerful, contactless probe of fundamental superconducting material properties under strain and may also potentially facilitate the design of hybrid quantum systems with strain-controlled quantum degrees of freedom.

In this study, we propose an alternative route to achieving topological superconductivity (TSC). Our approach applies to a new class of correlated noncentrosymmetric materials that host two spin-split Fermi surfaces with identical spin textures due to a spin-orbital intertwined effect. Incorporating multi-orbital repulsive Hubbard interactions, we calculate the superconducting pairings of a minimal two-orbital effective model within a spin-fluctuation-mediated superconductivity framework. We find that, depending on the effective Rashba spin-orbit coupling (RSOC) strength and filling level, the Hubbard interaction can drive the leading pairing symmetry into the $A_1(S_{\pm})$, $B_1$, $B_2$ or $B_2(d_{\pm})$ irreducible representations (IRs) of the $C_{4v}$ point group. Notably, the $A_1(S_{\pm})$ pairing gives rise to a fully gapped TSC characterized by a $Z_2$ invariant, while the $B_2(d_{\pm})$ pairing results in a nodal TSC. Our analysis reveals that the fully gapped TSC is predominated by spin-singlet regardless of the presence of the spin-triplet components. This distinguishes our model from noncentrosymmetric materials with conventional Rashba-split band structures, where TSC typically emerges near the van Hove singularity and is primarily driven by $p$-wave or $f$-wave spin-triplet pairing. These features enhances its experimental accessibility, and we discuss potential experimental systems for its realization.