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At least 217 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

Nanoscale control over single vortex motion in an unconventional superconductor

Precise control of superconducting vortices is crucial for studying vortex dynamics and vortex braiding. We propose a new method to pull vortex lines in the layered superconductor FeSe using a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) tip. Weak contact of the STM tip with the FeSe surface locally reduces the superconducting gap, thereby creating a tunable vortex pinning potential on the nanometer scale. This enables controlled vortex line deformation even in dense vortex lattices. Analytical modeling reveals that the deformation strength scales logarithmically with conductance and depends on tip geometry. Our findings point to local strain-induced gap suppression as the mechanism for STM-mediated vortex manipulation, providing a fundamental insight relevant to vortex behavior in the context of quantum information studies.

Song, Sang Yong [Oak Ridge National Laboratory (OR↗
DOE OSTI2026

Nonequilibrium dynamics of two-level systems directly after cryogenic alternating bias

Two-level systems (TLSs) are a dominant decoherence mechanism in superconducting qubits, microwave kinetic inductance detectors, and quantum dots. TLSs are tunneling states commonly found in amorphous materials and interfaces, which interact electromechanically, leading to energy loss. Fluctuations in the frequency of the TLSs are a significant problem for qubit operation and force recalibration every few hours. In this study, we probe the effect of alternating bias at cryogenic temperatures on TLSs in a purpose-built LC oscillator. When an in situ alternating bias is applied, the steady-state spectra of the TLSs disappear. Spectroscopy reveals transient behavior, in which the TLS frequency fluctuates on the order of minutes. Thermal cycling above 10 K reverses these effects, restoring the TLS spectrum to its original state. Importantly, the intrinsic loss tangent of the LC oscillator remains unchanged before and after the application of the alternating bias. We propose that the disappearance of the steady-state spectrum is caused by nonequilibrium energy buildup from strain in the oxide film introduced by the pulsed voltage-bias sequence. Understanding this nonequilibrium energy could shed light on TLS fluctuations and reduce the calibration requirements for qubits.

general physics↗
DOE OSTI2023

Spreading resistance effects in tunneling spectroscopy of α–RuCl 3 and Ir 0.5 Ru 0.5 Cl 3

The Mott insulating state is the progenitor of many interesting quantum phases of matter including the famous high-temperature superconductors and quantum spin liquids. A recent candidate for novel spin liquid phenomena is α–RuCl 3 , a layered honeycomb Mott insulator whose electronic structure has been a source of mystery. In particular, scanning tunneling spectroscopy has indicated a Mott gap in α–RuCl 3 that is much lower than the 2-eV value observed in photoemission measurements. Here, we show that the origin of this discrepancy is a spreading resistance artifact associated with tunneling into highly resistive materials by comparing with prior experiments and numerical modeling. Furthermore, a similar phenomenon is also observed in a substitutional alloy, Ir 0.5 Ru 0.5 Cl 3 , that has a higher resistivity than the parent compound. While the tunneling measurements cannot be used to accurately measure the sample density of states for these materials, we can take advantage of the spreading resistance sensitivity to quantify the anisotropic resistivity of these layered materials and connect to previous macroscopic transport observations.

2-dimensional systems↗
DOE OSTI2023

Superconducting gap symmetry from Bogoliubov quasiparticle interference analysis on Sr 2 RuO 4

Here, the nature of the superconducting order parameter in Sr 2 RuO 4 has generated intense interest in recent years. Since the superconducting gap is very small, high-resolution methods such as scanning tunneling spectroscopy might be the best chance to directly resolve the gap symmetry. Recently, a Bogoliubov quasiparticle interference imaging (BQPI) experiment has suggested that the d x 2 –y 2 gap symmetry is appropriate for Sr 2 RuO 4 . In this work, we use a material-specific theoretical approach based onWannier functions of the surface of Sr 2 RuO 4 to calculate the continuum density of states as detected in scanning tunneling microscopy experiments. We examine several different proposed gap order parameters and calculate the expected BQPI pattern for each case. Comparing to the available experimental data, our results suggest that a s' + id xy gap order parameter is the most probable state, but the measured BQPI patterns still display features unaccounted for by the theory for any of the states currently under discussion.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

Optimization of La 2–x Sr x CuO 4 Single Crystal Film Growth via Molecular Beam Epitaxy

Atomic layer-by-layer molecular beam epitaxy (ALL-MBE) combined with ozone is one of the best methods to fabricate single-crystal thin films of complex oxides. Cuprate such as La 2-x Sr x CuO 4 (LSCO) is a representative complex-oxide high-temperature superconductor (HTS) material. Our group utilizes this method to produce high-quality single-crystal HTS films with atomically smooth surfaces and interfaces. In addition, ALL-MBE enables us to engineer multilayer heterostructures with atomic precision. This allows the fabrication of tunnel junctions, various nanostructures, and other HTS devices of interest for superconducting electronics. We have synthesized over three thousand LSCO thin films in the past two decades. These films’ structural and electronic properties have been studied and characterized by various methods. Here, we distill the extensive experience we accumulated into a step-by-step protocol to fabricate atomically perfect LSCO films. The recipe includes substrate preparation, ozone generation and distillation, source calibration, the in situ monitoring of the film synthesis, post-growth annealing, and ex situ characterization. It discloses a reproducible way to fabricate single-crystal LSCO films for basic research and HTS electronic applications.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
NASA NTRS1989

Relaxation behavior of ultrasonic attenuation in YBa2Cu3O7

It is shown that temperature-dependent ultrasonic attenuation data of YBa2Cu3O7 at various frequencies exhibit anomalies at temperatures close to Tc. These attenuation maxima are found to be the result of a relaxation mechanism added on top of an unusual attenuation background. It is proposed that the grain boundary motions induced by the structural distortion and the propagation of sound waves enhances the energy dissipation around Tc. Whether this structural distortion is the consequence of the onset of a superconducting state remains undetermined. It is also possible that either a tunneling effect or the acoustoelectric effect contributes to sound energy dissipation. The temperature dependence of ultrasonic velocity shows a softening around Tc which may be an intrinsic property of high-temperature superconductors.

Sun, K. J.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Magnetic suspension and balance system advanced study, 1989 design

The objectives are to experimentally confirm several advanced design concepts on the Magnetic Suspension and Balance Systems (MSBS). The advanced design concepts were identified as potential improvements by Madison Magnetics, Inc. (MMI) during 1984 and 1985 studies of an MSBS utilizing 14 external superconductive coils and a superconductive solenoid in an airplane test model suspended in a wind tunnel. This study confirmed several advanced design concepts on magnetic suspension and balance systems. The 1989 MSBS redesign is based on the results of these experiments. Savings of up to 30 percent in supporting magnet ampere meters and 50 percent in energy stored over the 1985 design were achieved.

Boom, Roger W.↗
NASA NTRS1973

The use of superconductivity in magnetic balance design

The magnetic field and field gradient requirements for magnetic suspension in a Mach 3, 6-in. diameter wind tunnel are stated, along with the power requirements for gradient coil pairs wound of copper operating at room temperature and aluminum cooled to 20 K. The power dissipated is large enough that the use of superconductivity in the coil design becomes an attractive alternative. The problems of stability and ac losses are outlined along with the properties of stabilized superconductors. A brief review of a simplified version of the critical state model of C. P. Bean is presented, and the problems involved in calculations of the ac losses in superconducting coils are outlined. A summary of ac loss data taken on pancake coils wound of commercially available Nb3Sn partially stabilized tape is presented and shown as leading to the U.Va. gradient coil design. The actual coil performance is compared with predictions based on the BNL results. Finally, some remarks are presented concerning scaling of the ac losses to larger magnetic suspension systems as well as prospects for improved performance using newer multifilament superconductors.

Moss, F. E.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Emergent normal fluid in the superconducting ground state of overdoped cuprates

The microscopic mechanism for the disappearance of superconductivity in overdoped cuprates is still under heated debate. Here we use scanning tunneling spectroscopy to investigate the evolution of quasiparticle interference phenomenon in Bi 2 Sr 2 CuO 6+δ over a wide range of hole densities. We find that when the system enters the overdoped regime, a peculiar quasiparticle interference wavevector with arc-like pattern starts to emerge even at zero bias, and its intensity grows with increasing doping level. Its energy dispersion is incompatible with the octet model for d-wave superconductivity, but is highly consistent with the scattering interference of gapless normal carriers. The gapless quasiparticles are mainly located near the antinodes and are independent of temperature, consistent with the disorder scattering mechanism. We propose that a branch of normal fluid emerges from the pair-breaking scattering between flat antinodal bands in the quantum ground state, which is the primary cause for the reduction of superfluid density and suppression of superconductivity in overdoped cuprates.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Effects of anisotropy and disorder on the superconducting properties of niobium

We report results for the superconducting transition temperature and anisotropic energy gap for pure niobium based on Eliashberg’s equations and electron and phonon band structures computed from density functional theory. The electronic band structure is used to construct the Fermi surface and calculate the Fermi velocity at each point on the Fermi surface. The phonon bands are in excellent agreement with inelastic neutron scattering data. The corresponding phonon density of states and electron–phonon coupling define the electron–phonon spectral function, α 2 F(p, p'; ω), and the corresponding electron–phonon pairing interaction, which is the basis for computing the superconducting properties. The electron–phonon spectral function is in good agreement with existing tunneling spectroscopy data except for the spectral weight of the longitudinal phonon peak at ℏω LO = 23 meV. We obtain an electron–phonon coupling constant of λ = 1.057, renormalized Coulomb interaction μ* = 0.218, and transition temperature T c = 9.33 K. The corresponding strong-coupling gap at T = 0 is modestly enhanced, Δ 0 = 1.55 meV, compared to the weak-coupling BCS value $Δ^{\text {wc}}_{0}$ = 1.78 k B T c = 1.43 meV. The superconducting gap function exhibits substantial anisotropy on the Fermi surface. We analyze the distribution of gap anisotropy and compute the suppression of the superconducting transition temperature using a self-consistent T-matrix theory for quasiparticle-impurity scattering to describe niobium doped with non-magnetic impurities. We compare these results with experimental results on niobium SRF cavities doped with nitrogen impurities.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

Theory of the Little-Parks effect in spin-triplet superconductors

The celebrated Little-Parks effect in mesoscopic superconducting rings has recently gained great attention due to its potential to probe half-quantum vortices in spin-triplet superconductors. However, despite the large number of works reporting anomalous Little-Parks measurements attributed to unconventional superconductivity, the general signatures of spin-triplet pairing in the Little-Parks effect have been less systematically investigated. Here we use Ginzburg-Landau theory to study the Little-Parks effect in a spin-triplet superconducting ring that supports half-quantum vortices; we calculate the field-induced Little-Parks oscillations of both the critical temperature itself and the residual resistance resulting from thermal vortex tunneling below the critical temperature. Here we observe two separate critical temperatures with a single-spin superconducting state in between and find that due to the existence of half-quantum vortices, each minimum in the upper critical temperature splits into two minima for the lower critical temperature. From a rigorous calculation of the residual resistance, we confirm that these two minima in the lower critical temperature translate into two maxima in the residual resistance below and establish the general conditions under which the two maxima can be practically resolved. In particular, we identify a fundamental trade-off between sharpening each maximum and keeping the overall magnitude of the resistance large. Our results will guide experimental efforts in designing mesoscopic ring geometries for probing half-quantum vortices in spin-triplet candidate materials on the device scale.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

Andreev Reflection and Klein Tunneling in High-Temperature Superconductor-Graphene Junctions

Scattering processes in quantum materials emerge as resonances in electronic transport, including confined modes, Andreev states, and Yu-Shiba-Rusinov states. However, in most instances, these resonances are driven by a single scattering mechanism. Here, in this paper, we show the appearance of resonances due to the combination of two simultaneous scattering mechanisms, one from superconductivity and the other from graphene p-n junctions. These resonances stem from Andreev reflection and Klein tunneling that occur at two different interfaces of a hole-doped region of graphene formed at the boundary with superconducting graphene due to proximity effects from Bi 2 Sr 2 Ca 1 Cu 2 O 8+δ . The resonances persist with gating from p + -p and p-n configurations. The suppression of the oscillation amplitude above the bias energy which is comparable to the induced superconducting gap indicates the contribution from Andreev reflection. Our experimental measurements are supported by quantum transport calculations in such interfaces, leading to analogous resonances. Our results put forward a hybrid scattering mechanism in graphene–high-temperature superconductor heterojunctions of potential impact for graphene-based Josephson junctions.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2022

Record High Ramping Rates in HTS Based Superconducting Accelerator Magnet

Here we report results of experimental test of the High Temperature Superconductor (HTS) based fast-cycling prototype accelerator magnet capable to operate up to about 300 T/s field ramping rate with some 0.5 T B-field in the magnet gap. The measured upper limit for the cryogenic cooling power required to support magnet conductor operation at high ramping rates indicates great potential for such type of magnets in rapid cycling synchrotrons for neutrino research or acceleration of very short-lived muons. The test magnet design, construction and supporting cryogenic and power systems are briefly described. The magnet's power test results are discussed in terms of a possible upgrade of this magnet design to 2 T B-field, a maximum feasible with super-ferric magnet.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Detecting Symmetry Breaking in Magic Angle Graphene Using Scanning Tunneling Microscopy

A growing body of experimental work suggests that magic angle twisted bilayer graphene exhibits a "cascade" of spontaneous symmetry-breaking transitions, sparking interest in the potential relationship between symmetry breaking and superconductivity. However, it has proven difficult to find experimental probes which can unambiguously identify the nature of the symmetry breaking. Here, we show how atomically resolved scanning tunneling microscopy can be used as a fingerprint of symmetry-breaking order. Further, by analyzing the pattern of sublattice polarization and "Kekulé" distortions in small magnetic fields, order parameters for each of the most competitive symmetry-breaking states can be identified. In particular, we show that the "Kramers intervalley coherent state," which theoretical work predicts to be the ground state at even integer fillings, shows a Kekulé distortion which emerges only in a magnetic field.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2026

Indirect tunneling enabled spontaneous time-reversal symmetry breaking and Josephson diode effect in TiN/Al 2 ⁢O 3 /Hf 0.8 ⁢Zr 0.2 ⁢O 2 /Nb tunnel junctions

Josephson diode (JD) effect in Josephson tunnel junctions (JTJs) has attracted a great deal of attention due to its importance for developing superconducting-circuitry-based quantum technologies. Even though the preparation of high-quality JTJs by techniques employed in the semiconductor industry has been demonstrated, which was an important milestone because JTJs are the building blocks of superconducting electronics even before the quantum era, the JD effect has not been accomplished in them, nor has the highly desirable electrical control of the effect. We report here the fabrication of JTJs featuring a composite tunnel barrier of Al 2 ⁢O 3 and Hf 0.8 ⁢Zr 0.2 ⁢O 2 using complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor compatible atomic layer deposition. These JTJs were found to show the JD effect in nominally zero magnetic fields with nonreciprocity controllable via an electric training current, yielding a surprisingly large diode efficiency. The quasiparticle tunneling, through which the Josephson coupling in a JTJ is established, was found to show theoretically expected gap features but no nonreciprocity. We attribute these observations to the simultaneous presence of positive and negative local Josephson couplings in the JTJs, with the negative Josephson coupling originating from indirect tunneling, which results in spontaneous time-reversal symmetry breaking. Finally, the double-minima washboard potential for the ensemble-averaged phase difference in the resistively and capacitively shunted junction model is shown to fully account for the experimentally observed JD effect.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
NASA NTRS2019

Atomic Layer Deposition Josephson Junctions for Cryogenic Circuit Applications

Superconducting-insulating-superconducting (SIS) trilayers have been produced for Josephson Junction fabrication by thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes. The trilayers are composed of alternating layers of Ti0.4N0.6/Al2O3/ Ti0.4N0.6, deposited at 450°C, in a thermal ALD reactor on Al2O3-coated silicon. The conformal nature of the ALD process provides excellent step coverage of superconducting and insulating films. The film thickness of a single ALD cycle being one mono-layer, allows us to precisely control the tunnel-barrier insulator thickness by counting the number of ALD cycles during the insulator deposition step. Tunnel-junctions with critical current 500 A/cm2 are reported. Fabrication of Josephson Junctions and progress toward development of a single-element ALD Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) will be discussed

Atomic Layer Definition↗
DOE OSTI2020

Proximity-induced superconducting gap in the quantum spin Hall edge state of monolayer WTe2

The quantum spin Hall insulator is characterized by a bandgap in the two-dimensional (2D) interior and helical 1D edge states 1 , 2 , 3 . Inducing superconductivity in the helical edge state results in a 1D topological superconductor, a highly sought-after state of matter at the core of many proposals for topological quantum computing 4 . In the present study, we report the coexistence of superconductivity and the quantum spin Hall edge state in a van der Waals heterostructure, by placing a monolayer of 1T'-WTe 2 , a quantum spin Hall insulator 1 , 2 , 3 , on a van der Waals superconductor, NbSe 2 . Using scanning tunnelling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM/STS), we demonstrate that the WTe 2 monolayer exhibits a proximity-induced superconducting gap due to the underlying superconductor and that the spectroscopic features of the quantum spin Hall edge state remain intact. Taken together, these observations provide conclusive evidence for proximity-induced superconductivity in the quantum spin Hall edge state in WTe 2 , a crucial step towards realizing 1D topological superconductivity and Majorana bound states in this van der Waals material platform.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗