Superconducting Pairing Mechanism Research Articles

Charge stripe manipulation of superconducting pairing symmetry transition

Charge stripes have been widely observed in many different types of unconventional superconductors, holding varying periods (P\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${{\\mathcal{P}}}$$\\end{document}) and intensities. However, a general understanding on the interplay between charge stripes and superconducting properties is still incomplete. Here, using large-scale unbiased numerical simulations on a general inhomogeneous Hubbard model, we discover that the charge-stripe period P\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${{\\mathcal{P}}}$$\\end{document}, which is variable in different real material systems, could dictate the pairing symmetries—d wave for P≥4,s\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${{\\mathcal{P}}}\\ge 4,s$$\\end{document} and d waves for P≤3\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${{\\mathcal{P}}}\\le 3$$\\end{document}. In the latter, tuning hole doping and charge-stripe amplitude can trigger a d-s wave transition and magnetic-correlation shift, where the d-wave state converts to a pairing-density wave state, competing with the s wave. These interesting phenomena arise from an unusual stripe-induced selection rule of pairing symmetries around on-stripe region and within inter-stripe region, giving rise to a critical point of P=3\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${{\\mathcal{P}}}=3$$\\end{document} for the phase transition. In general, our findings offer important insights into the differences in the superconducting pairing mechanisms across many P\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${{\\mathcal{P}}}$$\\end{document}-dependent superconducting systems, highlighting the decisive role of charge stripe.

High‐Pressure Growth and Characterization of Seven‐Layered CuBa2Ca6Cu7O17±δ Single Crystals

AbstractIn cuprates, the superconducting transition temperature (Tc) is closely related to the number n of CuO2 planes per unit cell. The studies on multi‐layered cuprates offer insights into the physical properties and pairing mechanisms of superconductivity. However, the synthesis and stability of ultra‐multilayered cuprates pose significant challenges. Here, a newly discovered seven‐layered cuprate CuBa2Ca6Cu7O17±δ grown under high pressure is reported. Magnetization and transport measurements confirm bulk superconductivity with Tc of ≈85 K. The magnetization hysteresis loops, critical current density (Jc), and irreversibility fields of CuBa2Ca6Cu7O17±δ are also investigated. The novel compound CuBa2Ca6Cu7O17±δ provides an ideal platform for studying the physics of multi‐layered cuprates.

Absence of electron-phonon coupling superconductivity in the bilayer phase of La3Ni2O7 under pressure

An experimental study found superconductivity in bilayer phase of La3Ni2O7, with the highest superconducting transition temperature (Tc) ∼ 80 K under pressure. Recently, some reports claimed that there exists a competitive monolayer-trilayer structural phase in La3Ni2O7 compounds. We perform the first-principles calculations and find that bilayer phase of La3Ni2O7 is energetically favorable under pressure. Although extensive studies have been done to investigate the electronic correlation and potential superconducting pairing mechanism in bilayer phase of La3Ni2O7, the phonon properties and electron-phonon coupling (EPC) in the high-pressure I4/mmm phase of La3Ni2O7 are not reported. Using the density functional theory (DFT) combined with Wannier interpolation technique, we study the phonon properties and EPC in bilayer phase of La3Ni2O7 under 29.5 GPa. Our findings reveal that EPC is insufficient to explain the observed superconducting Tc ∼ 80 K. And the calculated Fermi surface nesting may explain the experimentally observed charge density wave (CDW) transition in bilayer phase of La3Ni2O7. Our calculations substantiate that bilayer phase of La3Ni2O7 is an unconventional superconductor.

Pressure-Tuned Quantum Criticality in the Locally Noncentrosymmetric Superconductor CeRh_{2}As_{2}.

The unconventional superconductor CeRh_{2}As_{2} (critical temperature T_{c}≈0.4 K) displays an exceptionally rare magnetic-field-induced transition between two distinct superconducting (SC) phases, proposed to be states of even and odd parity of the SC order parameter, which are enabled by a locally noncentrosymmetric structure. The superconductivity is preceded by a phase transition of unknown origin at T_{0}=0.5 K. Electronic low-temperature properties of CeRh_{2}As_{2} show pronounced non-Fermi-liquid behavior, indicative of a proximity to a quantum critical point (QCP). The role of quantum fluctuations and normal state orders for the superconductivity in a system with staggered Rashba interaction is currently an open question, pertinent to explaining the occurrence of the two-phase superconductivity. In this work, using measurements of resistivity and specific heat under hydrostatic pressure, we show that the T_{0} order vanishes completely at a modest pressure of P_{0}≈0.5 GPa, revealing a QCP. In line with the quantum criticality picture, the linear temperature dependence of the resistivity at P_{0} evolves into a Fermi-liquid quadratic dependence as quantum critical fluctuations are suppressed by increasing pressure. Furthermore, the domelike behavior of T_{c} around P_{0} implies that the fluctuations of the T_{0} order are involved in the SC pairing mechanism.

Normal and Superconducting Properties of La3Ni2O7

Abstract This review provides a comprehensive overview of current research on the structural, electronic, and magnetic characteristics of the recently discovered high-temperature superconductor La3Ni2O7 under high pressures. We present the experimental results for synthesizing and characterizing this material, derived from measurements of transport, thermodynamics, and various spectroscopic techniques, and discuss their physical implications. We also explore theoretical models proposed to describe the electronic structures and superconducting pairing symmetry in La3Ni2O7, highlighting the intricate interplay between electronic correlations and magnetic interactions. Despite these advances, challenges remain in growing high-quality samples free of extrinsic phases and oxygen deficiencies and in developing reliable measurement tools for determining diamagnetism and other physical quantities under high pressures. Further investigations in these areas are essential to deepening our understanding of the physical properties of La3Ni2O7 and unlocking its superconducting pairing mechanism.

Evidence for charge delocalization crossover in the quantum critical superconductor CeRhIn5.

The nature of charge degrees-of-freedom distinguishes scenarios for interpreting the character of a second order magnetic transition at zero temperature, that is, a magnetic quantum critical point (QCP). Heavy-fermion systems are prototypes of this paradigm, and in those, the relevant question is where, relative to a magnetic QCP, does the Kondo effect delocalize their f-electron degrees-of-freedom. Herein, we use pressure-dependent Hall measurements to identify a finite-temperature scale Eloc that signals a crossover from f-localized to f-delocalized character. As a function of pressure, Eloc(P) extrapolates smoothly to zero temperature at the antiferromagnetic QCP of CeRhIn5 where its Fermi surface reconstructs, hallmarks of Kondo-breakdown criticality that generates critical magnetic and charge fluctuations. In 4.4% Sn-doped CeRhIn5, however, Eloc(P) extrapolates into its magnetically ordered phase and is decoupled from the pressure-induced magnetic QCP, which implies a spin-density-wave (SDW) type of criticality that produces only critical fluctuations of the SDW order parameter. Our results demonstrate the importance of experimentally determining Eloc to characterize quantum criticality and the associated consequences for understanding the pairing mechanism of superconductivity that reaches a maximum Tc in both materials at their respective magnetic QCP.

Distinct spin and orbital dynamics in Sr2RuO4

The unconventional superconductor Sr2RuO4 has long served as a benchmark for theories of correlated-electron materials. The determination of the superconducting pairing mechanism requires detailed experimental information on collective bosonic excitations as potential mediators of Cooper pairing. We have used Ru L3-edge resonant inelastic x-ray scattering to obtain comprehensive maps of the electronic excitations of Sr2RuO4 over the entire Brillouin zone. We observe multiple branches of dispersive spin and orbital excitations associated with distinctly different energy scales. The spin and orbital dynamical response functions calculated within the dynamical mean-field theory are in excellent agreement with the experimental data. Our results highlight the Hund metal nature of Sr2RuO4 and provide key information for the understanding of its unconventional superconductivity.

Signatures of Cooper pair dynamics and quantum-critical superconductivity in tunable carrier bands

Different superconducting pairing mechanisms are markedly distinct in the underlying Cooper pair kinematics. Quantum-critical soft modes drive pairing interactions in which the pair scattering processes are highly collinear and can be classified into two categories: forward scattering and backscattering. Conversely, in conventional phonon mechanisms, Cooper pair scattering is of a generic noncollinear character. In this study, we present a method to discern the kinematic type by observing the evolution of superconductivity while adjusting the Fermi surface geometry. To demonstrate our approach, we utilize the recently reported phase diagrams of untwisted graphene multilayers. Our analysis connects the emergence of superconductivity at "ghost crossings" of Fermi surfaces in distinct valleys to the pair kinematics of a backscattering type. Together with the observed nonmonotonic behavior of superconductivity near its onset (sharp rise followed by a drop), it lends strong support to a particular quantum-critical superconductivity scenario in which pairing is driven by intervalley coherence fluctuations. These findings offer direct insights into the genesis of pairing in these systems, providing compelling evidence for the electron-electron interactions driving superconductivity. More broadly, our work highlights the potential of tuning bands via ghost crossings as a promising means of boosting superconductivity.

Robust superconductivity and huge enhancement of upper critical field in Nb2CS2 MXene under high pressure

As a member of the emerging MXenes family, Nb2CS2 offers distinctive superconductivity, excellent electrical properties, and outstanding chemical stability, making it potentially useful for energy storage, medical imaging, and quantum computing. Herein, we systematically investigate how ultrahigh pressure affects the electrical properties of Nb2CS2. The results indicate that Nb2CS2 retains robust superconductivity with Tc>8 K up to the maximum applied pressure of 146.8 GPa. Moreover, the upper critical magnetic field Hc2(0) of Nb2CS2 increases with pressure, and the Pauli limit is violated at pressures greater than 120 GPa. Meanwhile, Hc2(0) increases to 19.3 T at 146.8 GPa, which is 4.8 times greater than at the initial pressure. Further analysis suggests that the significant enhancement of Hc2(0) below 30 GPa comes from the sharp pressure-induced rise of carrier concentration as the interlayer distance decreases, and the significant increase in Hc2(0) above 86 GPa may come from enhanced spin–orbit coupling or the possible unconventional superconducting pairing mechanisms. These results provide insights into the superconducting properties of MXene materials and offer guidelines for further research on electronic transport in Mxenes under ultrahigh pressure.

Low-energy gap emerging from confined nematic states in extremely underdoped cuprate superconductors

The pairing mechanism of high-temperature superconductivity in cuprates is regarded as one of the most challenging issues in condensed matter physics. The core issue concerns how the Cooper pairs are formed. Here we report spin-resolved tunneling measurements on extremely underdoped Bi2Sr2−xLaxCuO6+δ. Our data reveal that, when holes are doped into the system, the antiferromagnetic order is destroyed, while at the same time an increasing density of states (DOS) peaked at around 200 meV appears within the charge transfer gap. Meanwhile, an electronic structure with 4a0 × 4a0 basic plaquettes emerges inhomogeneously, with an area fraction that grows with hole doping. In each plaquette, there are some unidirectional bars (along the Cu-O bond) which are most pronounced at energies near peaks in the DOS around at 25 meV, with an intensity that is especially pronounced at oxygen sites. We argue that the atomically resolved low-energy DOS and related gap are closely associated with some kinds of density waves, possibly reflecting modulations of the electron density, or a pair-density wave, i.e. a modulation of the local pairing. Our work sheds new light on the doping induced electronic evolution from the “parent” insulator of the cuprate superconductors.

Spin-Resolved Imaging of Antiferromagnetic Order in Fe4 Se5 Ultrathin Films on SrTiO3.

Unraveling the magnetic order in iron chalcogenides and pnictides at atomic scale is pivotal for understanding their unconventional superconducting pairing mechanism, but is experimentally challenging. Here, by utilizing spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy, real-space spin contrasts are successfully resolved to exhibit atomically unidirectional stripes in Fe4 Se5 ultrathin films, the plausible closely related compound of bulk FeSe with ordered Fe-vacancies, which are grown by molecular beam epitaxy. As is substantiated by the first-principles electronic structure calculations, the spin contrast originates from a pair-checkerboard antiferromagnetic ground state with in-plane magnetization, which is modulated by a spin-lattice coupling. These measurements further identify three types of nanoscale antiferromagnetic domains with distinguishable spin contrasts, which are subject to thermal fluctuations into short-ranged patches at elevated temperatures. This work provides promising opportunities in understanding the emergent magnetic order and the electronic phase diagram for FeSe-derived superconductors.

Field-Induced Tuning of the Pairing State in a Superconductor

A magnetic field tunes UTe${}_{2}$ between two superconducting pairing mechanisms, possibly driving a change from a spin-triplet state to a spin-singlet state. This enables explorations of how exotic spin-triplet superconductivity emerges.

Fermi liquid-like behaviour of cuprates in the pseudogap phase simulated via T-dependent electron-boson spectral density

We investigated the temperature- and frequency-dependent optical scattering rates in the pseudogap phase of cuprates using model pseudogap and electron-boson spectral density (EBSD) functions. We obtained the scattering rates at various temperatures below and above a given pseudogap temperature using a generalized Allen’s (or Sharapov’s) formula, which has been used to analyse the measured optical spectra of correlated electron systems with a non-constant density of states at finite temperatures. The pseudogap and EBSD functions should be temperature dependent to simulate the Fermi liquid-like behaviour of underdoped cuprate systems observed in optical studies. Therefore, the observed Fermi liquid-like behaviour can be understood by considering the combined contribution from the T-dependent EBSD function and the T-dependent pseudogap. We also obtained the optical conductivity spectra from the optical scattering rates and analyzed them to investigate intriguing electronic properties. We expect that our results will aid in understanding the Fermi liquid-like optical response in the pseudogap phase and in revealing the microscopic pairing mechanism for superconductivity in cuprates.

Identifying f -electron symmetries of UTe2 with O-edge resonant inelastic x-ray scattering

The recent discovery of spin-triplet superconductivity emerging from a nonmagnetic parent state in ${\mathrm{UTe}}_{2}$ has stimulated great interest in the underlying mechanism of Cooper pairing. Experimental characterization of short-range electronic and magnetic correlations is vital to understanding these phenomena. Here we use resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS), x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and atomic-multiplet-based modeling to shed light on the active debate between $5{f}^{2}6{d}^{1}$-based models with singlet crystal field states versus $5{f}^{3}$-based models that predict atomic Kramers doublets and much greater $5f$ itinerancy. The XAS and RIXS data are found to agree strongly with predictions for a $5{f}^{2}6{d}^{1}$-like valence electron configuration with weak intradimer magnetic correlations, and provide a context for interpreting recent investigations of the electronic structure and superconducting pairing mechanism.

Modeling polar order in compressively strained SrTiO3

Strontium titanate is an incipient ferroelectric in which superconductivity emerges at exceptionally low doping levels. Remarkably, stabilizing the polar phase through strain or chemical substitution has been shown to significantly enhance the superconducting critical temperature, and the polar instability plays a pivotal role in the majority of proposed superconducting pairing mechanisms. A rigorous understanding of ferroelectricity is therefore essential to elucidate the electron pairing mechanism in this material. To investigate the nature of the polar order in strontium titanate, we develop a simplified free energy model that only includes the degrees of freedom necessary to capture the relevant physics in a biaxially compressively strained system. Our model is able to calculate the energies of large, disordered systems with near DFT-level accuracy. We simulate the ferroelectric and antiferrodistortive phase transitions using the Monte Carlo method and discuss the coupling between various order parameters. Finally, we assess the character of the polar transition, which we find to be neither strictly displacive nor order-disorder.

Anisotropic Gap Structure and Sign Reversal Symmetry in Monolayer Fe(Se,Te).

The iron-based superconductors are an ideal platform to reveal the enigma of the unconventional superconductivity and potential topological superconductivity. Among them, the monolayer Fe(Se,Te)/SrTiO3(001), which is proposed to be topological nontrivial, shows interface-enhanced high-temperature superconductivity in the two-dimensional limit. However, the experimental studies on the superconducting pairing mechanism of monolayer Fe(Se,Te) films are still limited. Here, by measuring the quasiparticle interference in monolayer Fe(Se,Te)/SrTiO3(001), we report the observation of the anisotropic structure of the large superconducting gap and the sign change of the superconducting gap on different electron pockets. The results are well consistent with the "bonding-antibonding" s±-wave pairing symmetry driven by spin fluctuations in conjunction with spin-orbit coupling. Our work is of basic significance not only for a unified superconducting formalism in the iron-based superconductors, but also for understanding of topological superconductivity in high-temperature superconductors.

Direct measurement of the evolution of magnetism and superconductivity toward the quantum critical point

Nontrivial quantum states can be realized in the vicinity of the quantum critical point (QCP) in many strongly correlated electron systems. In particular, an emergence of unconventional superconductivity around the QCP strongly suggests that the quantum critical fluctuations play a central role in the superconducting pairing mechanism. However, a clear signature of the direct coupling between the superconducting pairing states and the quantum criticality has not yet been elucidated by the microscopic probes. Herein, we present muon spin rotation/relaxation and neutron diffraction measurements in the superconducting dome of CeCo(In1 - xZnx)5. It was found that a magnetically ordered state develops at x≥ 0.03, coexisting with the superconductivity. The magnitude of the ordered magnetic moment is continuously reduced with decreasing x, and it disappears below x∼ 0.03, indicating a second-order phase transition and the presence of the QCP at this critical Zn concentration. Furthermore, the magnetic penetration depth diverges toward the QCP. These facts provide evidence for the intimate coupling between quantum criticality and Cooper pairing.

Fourfold Symmetric Superconductivity in Spinel Oxide LiTi2O4(001) Thin Films.

The charge frustration with the mixed-valence state inherent to LiTi2O4, which is found to be the only oxide superconductor with spinel structure, is the impetus for paying special attention to unveil the underlying intriguing superconducting properties. Here, we report a pronounced fourfold rotational symmetry of the superconductivity in high-quality single-crystalline LiTi2O4(001) thin films. Both the magnetoresistivity and upper critical field under an applied magnetic field manifest striking fourfold oscillations deep inside the superconducting state, whereas the anisotropy vanishes in the normal state, demonstrating that it is an intrinsic property of the superconducting phase. We attribute this behavior to the unconventional d-wave superconducting Cooper pairs with the irreducible representation of Eg protected by the Oh point group in cubic LiTi2O4. Our findings show the nontrivial character of the pairing interaction in a three-dimensional spinel oxide superconductor.

On the electron pairing mechanism of copper-oxide high temperature superconductivity

The elementary CuO2 plane sustaining cuprate high-temperature superconductivity occurs typically at the base of a periodic array of edge-sharing CuO5 pyramids. Virtual transitions of electrons between adjacent planar Cu and O atoms, occurring at a rate t/ℏ and across the charge-transfer energy gap [Formula: see text], generate "superexchange" spin-spin interactions of energy [Formula: see text] in an antiferromagnetic correlated-insulator state. However, hole doping this CuO2 plane converts this into a very-high-temperature superconducting state whose electron pairing is exceptional. A leading proposal for the mechanism of this intense electron pairing is that, while hole doping destroys magnetic order, it preserves pair-forming superexchange interactions governed by the charge-transfer energy scale [Formula: see text]. To explore this hypothesis directly at atomic scale, we combine single-electron and electron-pair (Josephson) scanning tunneling microscopy to visualize the interplay of [Formula: see text] and the electron-pair density nP in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x. The responses of both [Formula: see text] and nP to alterations in the distance δ between planar Cu and apical O atoms are then determined. These data reveal the empirical crux of strongly correlated superconductivity in CuO2, the response of the electron-pair condensate to varying the charge-transfer energy. Concurrence of predictions from strong-correlation theory for hole-doped charge-transfer insulators with these observations indicates that charge-transfer superexchange is the electron-pairing mechanism of superconductive Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x.

Microscopic properties of Mo4Ga20Sb intermetallic superconductor in normal and superconducting states as evidenced by NMR and NQR spectroscopy

A detailed study of novel intermetallic superconductor Mo4Ga20Sb (Tc = 6.6 K) by means of 69,71Ga nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) spectroscopy was performed to gain insight into the superconducting pairing mechanism and gap characteristics, as well as into the normal-state electronic properties on a microscopic scale. An unexpected step-like increase of the 69Ga1 NQR linewidth was observed at Tc with decreasing temperature, which may indicate coexistence of several superconducting phases on a microscopic scale with slightly different Tc values. Above 140 K, the NQR linewidth decreases rapidly with increasing temperature due to possible oscillatory and/or rotational modes of the gallium cluster network at the elevated temperatures. Nuclear spin lattice relaxation rate 1/T1 of 69Ga nuclei in the Ga1 position follows Korringa law characteristic for the compounds with good metallic conductivity. The calculated Korringa ratio S< 1 indicates the presence of antiferromagnetic correlations in Mo4Ga20Sb, in agreement with the magnetic susceptibility data. Below Tc, a pronounced intensive Hebel-Slichter peak was observed indicating s-wave superconductivity without point or line nodes in the k-space (full gap s-wave superconductivity). We have demonstrated that the best fit of the experimental data is achieved using two s-wave superconducting gaps of 13 K and 6 K with relative weights of 0.8 and 0.2, respectively. The obtained weighted average value of 11.6 K is consistent with the specific heat value of Δ = 12.05 K.