arXiv subjects

C. Strunk

Publications and source records attributed to C. Strunk.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Emergence of Bogoliubov Fermi Surfaces in hybrid Al/InAs heterostructures

We investigate the microwave electrodynamics of a proximitized two-dimensional electron gas in hybrid superconductor/semiconductor heterostructures. Using lumped-element resonators with inductor wires oriented relative to an in-plane magnetic field, we directly probe the superfluid stiffness via the kinetic inductance. As the field increases, the resonance frequency exhibits a non-monotonic and strongly anisotropic evolution that cannot be explained by orbital pair breaking alone. We show that this behavior is consistent with the emergence of Bogoliubov Fermi surfaces, which selectively suppress the supercurrent response depending on the direction of the magnetic field. Microscopic calculations of the stiffness tensor capture the observed anisotropy driven by the interplay of Zeeman and orbital Fulde-Ferrell effects. Our results establish microwave stiffness measurements as a sensitive probe of anisotropic gapless superconductivity in hybrid systems.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2020

Quantum criticality and multiple crossing points in the magnetoresistance of thin TiN-films

We have measured $R(T,B)$ of a TiN thin-film very close to the disorder-driven superconductor-insulator transition but still superconducting at zero field and low temperatures. In a magnetic field we find three distinct crossing point of the magnetoresistance isotherms occur at magnetic fields $B_{cX}$ in three different temperature regions. Each crossing point in $R(T,B)$ corresponds to a plateau in $R(T,B_{cX})$. We systematically study the evolution of these crossing point near the disorder-induced superconductor/insulator transition, identify the most promising candidate for a quantum phase transition, and provide estimates for the two critical exponents $z$ and $\nu$.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2019

Direct probe of the interior of an electric pion in a Cooper pair superinsulator

The nature of hadrons is one of the most fundamental mysteries of physics. It is generally agreed that they are made of "colored" quarks, which move nearly free at short scales but are confined inside hadrons by strong interactions at large distances. Because of confinement, quarks are never directly observable and, experimentally, their properties can be tested only indirectly, via high energy collisions. Here we show that superinsulating films realize a complete, one-color model system of hadron physics with Cooper pairs playing the role of quarks. We report measurements on highly controlled NbTiN films that provide a window into the interior of "Cooper pair mesons" and present the first direct evidence of asymptotic freedom, `t Hooft's dual superconductivity confinement mechanism, and magnetic monopoles.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2018

Magnetic field-tuned superconductor/insulator transition in TiN nanostrips

We have measured the electric transport properties of TiN nanostrips with different widths. At zero magnetic field the temperature dependent resistance R(T) saturates at a finite resistance towards low temperatures, which results from quantum phase slips in the narrower strips. We find that the current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the narrowest strips are equivalent to those of small Josephson junctions. Applying a transverse magnetic field drives the devices into a reentrant insulating phase, with I-V-characteristics dual to those in the superconducting regime. The results evidence that our critically disordered superconducting nanostrips behave like small self-organized random Josephson networks.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2018

Magnon scattering in the transport coefficients of CoFe alloys

Resistivity $\rho$, thermopower ${\cal S}$, and thermal conductivity $\kappa$ were measured simultaneously on a set of CoFe alloy films. Variation of the Co-content $x_\mathrm{Co}$ allows for a systematic tuning of the Fermi level through the band structure, and the study of the interplay between electronic and magnetic contributions to the transport coefficients. While band structure and magnon effects in $\rho$ and $\kappa$ are rather weak, they turn out to be very significant in ${\cal S}$. The evolution of Mott and magnon drag contributions to ${\cal S}$ is traced between the two limiting cases of pure Fe and pure Co. In addition, we find an interesting sign change of the magnon drag.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2015

Quasiparticle Spin Resonance and Coherence in Superconducting Aluminium

Spin/magnetisation relaxation and coherence times, respectively T_1 and T_2, initially defined in the context of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), are general concepts applicable to a wide range of systems, including quantum bits [1-4]. At first glance, these ideas might seem to be irrelevant to conventional Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) superconductors, as the BCS superconducting ground state is a condensate of Cooper pairs of electrons with opposite spins (in a singlet state) [5]. It has recently been demonstrated, however, that a non-equilibrium magnetisation can appear in the quasiparticle (i.e. excitation) population of a conventional superconductor, with relaxation times on the order of several nanoseconds [6-10]. This raises the question of the spin coherence time of quasiparticles in superconductors and whether this can be measured through resonance experiments analogous to NMR and electron spin resonance (ESR). We have performed such measurements in aluminium and find a quasiparticle spin coherence time of 95+/-20ps.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2015

High field termination of a Cooper-pair insulator

We conducted a systematic study of the disorder dependence of the termination of superconductivity, at high magnetic fields (B), of amorphous indium oxide films. Our lower disorder films show conventional behavior where superconductivity is terminated with a transition to a metallic state at a well-defined critical field, Bc2. Our higher disorder samples undergo a B-induced transition into a strongly insulating state, which terminates at higher B's forming an insulating peak. We demonstrate that the B terminating this peak coincides with Bc2 of the lower disorder samples. Additionally we show that, beyond this field, these samples enter a different insulating state in which the magnetic field dependence of the resistance is weak. These results provide crucial evidence for the importance of Cooper-pairing in the insulating peak regime.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2014

Liquid-induced damping of mechanical feedback effects in single electron tunneling through a suspended carbon nanotube

In single electron tunneling through clean, suspended carbon nanotube devices at low temperature, distinct switching phenomena have regularly been observed. These can be explained via strong interaction of single electron tunneling and vibrational motion of the nanotube. We present measurements on a highly stable nanotube device, subsequently recorded in the vacuum chamber of a dilution refrigerator and immersed in the 3He/4He mixture of a second dilution refrigerator. The switching phenomena are absent when the sample is kept in the viscous liquid, additionally supporting the interpretation of dc-driven vibration. Transport measurements in liquid helium can thus be used for finite bias spectroscopy where otherwise the mechanical effects would dominate the current.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2014

Sub-gap spectroscopy of thermally excited quasiparticles in a Nb contacted carbon nanotube quantum dot

We present electronic transport measurements of a single wall carbon nanotube quantum dot coupled to Nb superconducting contacts. For temperatures comparable to the superconducting gap peculiar transport features are observed inside the Coulomb blockade and superconducting energy gap regions. The observed temperature dependence can be explained in terms of sequential tunneling processes involving thermally excited quasiparticles. In particular, these new channels give rise to two unusual conductance peaks at zero bias in the vicinity of the charge degeneracy point and allow to determine the degeneracy of the ground states involved in transport. The measurements are in good agreement with model calculations.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2013

Broken SU(4) symmetry in a Kondo-correlated carbon nanotube

Understanding the interplay between many-body phenomena and non-equilibrium in systems with entangled spin and orbital degrees of freedom is a central objective in nano-electronics. We demonstrate that the combination of Coulomb interaction, spin-orbit coupling and valley mixing results in a particular selection of the inelastic virtual processes contributing to the Kondo resonance in carbon nanotubes at low temperatures. This effect is dictated by conjugation properties of the underlying carbon nanotube spectrum at zero and finite magnetic field. Our measurements on a clean carbon nanotube are complemented by calculations based on a new approach to the non-equilibrium Kondo problem which well reproduces the rich experimental observations in Kondo transport.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2013

Transverse spin Seebeck vs. Anomalous and Planar Nernst Effects in Permalloy Thin Films

Transverse magneto-thermoelectric effects are studied in permalloy thin films grown on MgO and GaAs substrates and compared to those grown on suspended SiN membranes. The transverse voltage along platinum strips patterned on top of the permalloy films is measured vs. the external magnetic field as a function of angle and temperature gradient. After the identification of the contribution of the planar and anomalous Nernst effects, we find an upper limit for the transverse spin Seebeck effect, which is several orders of magnitude smaller than previously reported.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2013

Temperature dependence of Andreev spectra in a superconducting carbon nanotube quantum dot

Tunneling spectroscopy of a Nb coupled carbon nanotube quantum dot reveals the formation of pairs of Andreev bound states (ABS) within the superconducting gap. A weak replica of the lower ABS is found, which is generated by quasi-particle tunnelling from the ABS to the Al tunnel probe. An inversion of the ABS-dispersion is observed at elevated temperatures, which signals the thermal occupation of the upper ABS. Our experimental findings are well supported by model calculations based on the superconducting Anderson model.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2013

Negative frequency tuning of a carbon nanotube nano-electromechanical resonator

A suspended, doubly clamped single wall carbon nanotube is characterized as driven nano-electromechanical resonator at cryogenic temperatures. Electronically, the carbon nanotube displays small bandgap behaviour with Coulomb blockade oscillations in electron conduction and transparent contacts in hole conduction. We observe the driven mechanical resonance in dc-transport, including multiple higher harmonic responses. The data shows a distinct negative frequency tuning at finite applied gate voltage, enabling us to electrostatically decrease the resonance frequency to 75% of its maximum value. This is consistently explained via electrostatic softening of the mechanical mode.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2012

Counting Statistics and Dephasing Transition in an Electronic Mach-Zehnder Interferometer

It was recently suggested that a novel type of phase transition may occur in the visibility of electronic Mach-Zehnder Interferometers. Here, we present experimental evidence for the existence of this transition. The transition is induced by strongly non-Gaussian noise that originates from the strong coupling of a quantum point contact to the interferometer. We provide a transparent physical picture of the effect, by exploiting a close analogy to the neutrino-oscillations of particle physics. In addition, our experiment constitutes a probe of the singularity of the elusive full counting statistics of a quantum point contact.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2012

Thermodynamics and the Quantum Transport of Particles and Entropy

A unified view on macroscopic thermodynamics and quantum transport is presented. Thermodynamic processes with an exchange of energy between two systems necessarily involve the flow of other balanceable quantities. These flows are first analyzed using a simple drift-diffusion model, which includes the thermoelectric effects, and connects the various transport coefficients to certain thermodynamic susceptibilities and a diffusion coefficient. In the second part of the paper the connection between macroscopic thermodynamics and quantum statistics is discussed. It is proposed to employ not particles, but 'elementary Fermi- or Bose-systems' as the elementary building blocks of ideal quantum gases. In this way, the transport not only of particles, but also of entropy can be derived in a concise way, and is illustrated for both ballistic quantum wires and diffusive conductors. In particular, the quantum interference of entropy flow is in close correspondence to that of electric current.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2012

Spectroscopy of non-local superconducting correlations in a double quantum dot

We investigate non-linear transport in a double quantum dot connected to two normal electrodes and a central superconducting finger. By this means, we perform a transport spectroscopy of such a system which implements a Cooper pair splitter. The non-linear conductance exhibits strong subgap features which can be associated with the coherence of the injected Cooper pairs. Our findings are well accounted for by the recently developed microscopic theory of Cooper pairs splitters made in SWNTs.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2011

Magnetotransport through graphene nanoribbons at high magnetic fields

We have investigated the magnetoresistance of lithographically prepared single-layer graphene nanoribbons in pulsed, perpendicular magnetic fields up to 60 T and performed corresponding transport simulations using a tight-binding model and several types of disorder. In experiment, at high carrier densities we observe Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations and the quantum Hall effect, while at low densities the oscillations disappear and an initially negative magnetoresistance becomes strongly positive at high magnetic fields. The strong resistance increase at very high fields and low carrier densities is tentatively ascribed to a field-induced insulating state in the bulk graphene leads. Comparing numerical results and experiment, we demonstrate that at least edge disorder and bulk short-range impurities are important in our samples.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2011

Stacking-order dependent transport properties of trilayer graphene

We report markedly different transport properties of ABA- and ABC-stacked trilayer graphenes. Our experiments in double-gated trilayer devices provide evidence that a perpendicular electric field opens an energy gap in the ABC trilayer, while it causes the increase of a band overlap in the ABA trilayer. In a perpendicular magnetic field, the ABA trilayer develops quantum Hall plateaus at filling factors of \nu = 2, 4, 6... with a step of \Delta \nu = 2, whereas the inversion symmetric ABC trilayer exhibits plateaus at \nu = 6 and 10 with 4-fold spin and valley degeneracy.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗