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Diamagnetic response of a superconducting surface superstructure: Si(111)-7×3-In

Yanfu Wu, Ming-Chao Duan, Ningning Liu, Gang Yao, Dandan Guan, Shiyong Wang, Yao-Yi Li, Hao Zheng, Canhua Liu, and Jin-Feng Jia
Phys. Rev. B 99, 140506(R) – Published 18 April 2019
Physics logo See Synopsis: An Airless Test for 2D Superconductors

Abstract

Macroscopic superconductivity in various ultrathin films at the ultimate two-dimensional limit, i.e., films with thickness of only one- or two-atomic layers supported by single-crystal surfaces, has manifested itself in experiments with only zero resistance but not yet with the Meissner effect due to the lack of a proper in situ technique, although both phenomena are the defining characteristics of a superconductor. Using a self-developed multifunctional scanning tunneling microscope, we succeeded in detecting not only the macroscopic supercurrent but also diamagnetic response of a two-atomic-layer indium film on a Si(111) surface. The diamagnetic measurements reveal that the low-temperature variation of penetration depth follows the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer theory in the dirty limit. The magnitude of the pair-breaking interaction is determined to be 0.80 from the magnetic field dependence of the zero-temperature penetration depth, which implies that the pairing symmetry deviates slightly from an isotropic s wave. The present work demonstrates that it is possible to observe the Meissner effect in ultrathin superconducting films that are vulnerable to air, which is very helpful for a detailed understanding of the microscopic pairing mechanism.

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  • Received 23 January 2019
  • Revised 9 March 2019

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.99.140506

©2019 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Synopsis

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An Airless Test for 2D Superconductors

Published 18 April 2019

Researchers repurpose a scanning tunneling microscope to measure the Meissner effect in 2D films kept under vacuum, allowing for confirmation of superconductivity.

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Authors & Affiliations

Yanfu Wu1, Ming-Chao Duan1, Ningning Liu1, Gang Yao1, Dandan Guan1,2, Shiyong Wang1,2,3, Yao-Yi Li1,2,3, Hao Zheng1,2,3, Canhua Liu1,2,3,*, and Jin-Feng Jia1,2,3,4,†

  • 1Key Laboratory of Artificial Structures and Quantum Control (Ministry of Education), School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
  • 2Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, Shenyang 110016, China
  • 3Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing 210093, China
  • 4Tsung-Dao Lee Institute, Shanghai 200240, China

  • *canhualiu@sjtu.edu.cn
  • jfjia@sjtu.edu.cn

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Issue

Vol. 99, Iss. 14 — 1 April 2019

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