Search arXivSearch

arXiv · 2011.04880

Superconductivity beyond Pauli's limit in bulk NbS2: Evidence for the Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov state

Abstract

We present magnetic torque, specific heat and thermal expansion measurements combined with a piezo rotary positioner of the bulk transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) superconductor NbS2 in high magnetic fields applied strictly parallel to its layer structure. The upper critical field of superconducting TMDs in the 2D form is known to be dramatically enhanced by a special form of Ising spin orbit coupling. This Ising superconductivity is very robust against the Pauli limit for superconductivity. We find that superconductivity beyond the Pauli limit still exists in bulk single crystals of NbS2. However, the comparison of our upper critical field transition line with numerical simulations rather points to the development of a Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov state above the Pauli limit as a cause. This is also consistent with the observation of a magnetic field driven phase transition in the thermodynamic quantities within the superconducting state near the Pauli limit.

Explore related subjects

Keep this discovery

BibTeXRIS

Chang-woo Cho, Jian Lyu, Cheuk Yin Ng, James Jun He, Tarob A. Abdel-Baset, Mahmoud Abdel-Hafiez, Rolf Lortz. 2020-11-10. Superconductivity beyond Pauli's limit in bulk NbS2: Evidence for the Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov state. https://arxiv.org/abs/2011.04880

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

Out-of-equilibrium relaxation dynamics of the superconducting order parameter in CsV$_3$Sb$_5$

The application of a time-varying strain field drives a superconducting order parameter out of equilibrium. How the order parameter relaxes back to equilibrium depends both on the structure of the superconducting gap and on the nature of quasiparticle scattering. We report the discovery of an ultrasonic attenuation peak inside the superconducting state of the kagome superconductor CsV$_3$Sb$_5$. This peak is the natural consequence of the order parameter relaxation time matching the ultrasonic drive frequency near $T_{\rm c}$. From the measured frequency dependence of the peak, we extract a microscopic scattering time of $\tau_N = 25$ ps. This timescale is two orders of magnitude longer than the elastic scattering time as determined by resistivity measurements, but is comparable to the inelastic scattering time determined by thermal transport. Within the conventional framework of order-parameter relaxation, this implies that elastic scattering is ineffective at relaxing the superconducting condensate, consistent with a sign-preserving $s$-wave state obeying Anderson's theorem.

cond-mat.supr-con

Eight-unit-cell electronic modulations in cuprates originating from local molecular orbitals

The pair density wave (PDW) state with eight-unit-cell (8a0) periodicity has been widely regarded as the primary order in cuprates, yet its existence and origin remain subjects of intense debate. Using spectroscopic imaging scanning tunneling microscopy, we observe spatial modulations of the electronic states with approximately 8a0 periodicity in both the superconducting and insulating regimes of hole-doped Ca2CuO2Cl2 cuprate. We find that the 8a0 spatial patterns are generated by the formation of molecular orbitals by doped holes, which organize into 4a0*4a0 plaquettes as the basic unit. Our results identify the 4a0 molecular orbital as the fundamental electronic building block in cuprates, while the 8a0 PDW represents a spatial subharmonic that emerges at sufficiently high doping.

cond-mat.supr-con

Record-Breaking Elemental Superconductivity in Tetralayer Kagome Borophene

Superconductivity above the liquid-nitrogen temperature remains rare in two-dimensional elemental crystals, where strong covalent bonding often yields high phonon frequencies but insufficient electron-phonon coupling. Here, using first-principles calculations and fully anisotropic Migdal-Eliashberg theory, we predict tetralayer kagome borophene (TKB) stabilized by ABAB covalent stacking, as a liquid-nitrogen-temperature elemental superconductor. With a predicted critical temperature of 102 K, TKB sets a record-high value among previously reported elemental superconductors. Unlike known high-Tc boron-based superconductors dominated by in-plane sigma-bonding states and high-frequency in-plane B-B stretching modes, TKB realizes an out-of-plane s-pz-bonding-mediated pairing mechanism, in which interlayer s-pz bonding states at the Fermi level are strongly coupled to low-frequency out-of-plane vibrations of boron atoms. These results reveal a distinct out-of-plane pairing channel in multilayer borophene and establish covalent stacking engineering as a potential route for high-Tc superconductivity in two-dimensional materials.

cond-mat.supr-con