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Characterization of a Superconducting Pb Photocathode in a Superconducting rf Photoinjector Cavity
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Semi-Automated Design of Functional Elements for a New Approach to Digital Superconducting Electronics: Methodology and Preliminary Results.
Abstract not provided.
Superconducting RF Gun with High Current and the Capability to Generate Polarized Electron Beams
High-current low-emittance CW electron beams are indispensable for nuclear and high-energy physics fixed target and collider experiments, cooling high energy hadron beams, generating CW beams of monoenergetic X-rays (in FELs) and gamma-rays (in Compton sources). Polarization of electrons in these beams provides extra value by opening a new set of observables and frequently improving the data quality. We report on the upgrade of the unique and fully functional CW SRF 1.25 MeV SRF gun, built as part of the Coherent electron Cooling (CeC) project, which has demonstrated sustained CW operation with CsK2Sb photocathodes generating electron bunches with record-low transverse emittances and record-high bunch charge exceeding 10 nC. We propose to extend the capabilities of this system to high average current of 100 milliampere in two steps: increasing the current 30-fold at each step with the goal to demonstrate reliable long-term operation of the high-current low-emittance CW SRF guns. We also propose to test polarized GaAs photocathodes in the ultra-high vacuum (UHV) environment of the SRF gun, which has never been successfully demonstrated in RF accelerators.
Superconducting Technologies: Exploring the Evolution of Superconducting Technology, from Applications in Particle Accelerators to Cutting-Edge Advancements in Quantum Computing
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Topological Superconductivity in Chiral Carbon Nanotubes: Superconducting Diode Effects
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Improved Fabrication of High-Temperature Superconducting-Normal-Superconducting (SNS) Josephson Junctions for Device Applications
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Nematic superconductivity in twisted bilayer graphene
Twisted bilayer graphene displays insulating and superconducting phases caused by exceptional flattening of its lowest energy bands. Superconductivity with highest T c appears near half filling of the valence band (n ≈ –2). The data show that in the large part of the superconducting dome near n = –2, threefold lattice rotation symmetry is broken in the superconducting phase, i.e., a superconductor is also a nematic. We perform a comprehensive analysis of superconductivity in twisted-bilayer graphene within an itinerant approach and present a mechanism for nematic superconductivity. We take as an input the fact that at dopings, where superconductivity has been observed, the Fermi energy lies in the vicinity of twist-induced Van Hove singularities in the density of states. We argue that the low-energy physics can be properly described by patch models with either six or twelve Van Hove points. We obtain pairing interactions for the patch models in terms of parameters of the microscopic model for the flat bands, which contains both local and twist-induced nonlocal interactions. Here, we show that the latter give rise to attraction in different superconducting channels. For six Van Hove points, there is just one attractive d-wave channel, and we find chiral d ± id superconducting order, which breaks time-reversal symmetry but leaves the lattice rotation symmetry intact. For twelve Van Hove points, we find two attractive channels, g and i waves, with almost equal coupling constants. We show that both order parameters are nonzero in the ground state and explicitly demonstrate that in this co-existence state the threefold lattice rotation symmetry is broken, i.e., the superconducting state is also a nematic. We find two possible nematic states, one is time-reversal symmetric, the other additionally breaks time-reversal symmetry. We apply our scenario to twisted bilayer graphene near n = –2 and argue that it is applicable also to other systems with two (or more) attractive channels with similar couplings as our reasoning for a nematic superconductivity is based on generic symmetry considerations.
Gate-Induced Interfacial Superconductivity in 1T-SnSe 2
Layered metal chalcogenide materials provide a versatile platform to investigate emergent phenomena and two-dimensional (2D) superconductivity at/near the atomically thin limit. In particular, gate-induced interfacial superconductivity realized by the use of an electric-double-layer transistor (EDLT) has greatly extended the capability to electrically induce superconductivity in oxides, nitrides, and transition metal chalcogenides and enable one to explore new physics, such as the Ising pairing mechanism. Exploiting gate-induced superconductivity in various materials can provide us with additional platforms to understand emergent interfacial superconductivity. In this paper, we report the discovery of gate-induced 2D superconductivity in layered 1T-SnSe 2 , a typical member of the main-group metal dichalcogenide (MDC) family, using an EDLT gating geometry. A superconducting transition temperature T c ≈ 3.9 K was demonstrated at the EDL interface. The 2D nature of the superconductivity therein was further confirmed based on (1) a 2D Tinkham description of the angle-dependent upper critical field B c2 , (2) the existence of a quantum creep state as well as a large ratio of the coherence length to the thickness of superconductivity. Interestingly, the in-plane B c2 approaching zero temperature was found to be 2–3 times higher than the Pauli limit, which might be related to an electric field-modulated spin–orbit interaction. Finally, such results provide a new perspective to expand the material matrix available for gate-induced 2D superconductivity and the fundamental understanding of interfacial superconductivity.
Superconducting fault current-limiter with variable shunt impedance
A superconducting fault current-limiter is provided, including a superconducting element configured to resistively or inductively limit a fault current, and one or more variable-impedance shunts electrically coupled in parallel with the superconducting element. The variable-impedance shunt(s) is configured to present a first impedance during a superconducting state of the superconducting element and a second impedance during a normal resistive state of the superconducting element. The superconducting element transitions from the superconducting state to the normal resistive state responsive to the fault current, and responsive thereto, the variable-impedance shunt(s) transitions from the first to the second impedance. The second impedance of the variable-impedance shunt(s) is a lower impedance than the first impedance, which facilitates current flow through the variable-impedance shunt(s) during a recovery transition of the superconducting element from the normal resistive state to the superconducting state, and thus, facilitates recovery of the superconducting element under load.
Superconducting wires and methods of making thereof
Disclosed herein are superconducting wires. The superconducting wires can comprise a metallic matrix and at least one continuous subelement embedded in the matrix. Each subelement can comprise a non-superconducting core, a superconducting layer coaxially disposed around the non-superconducting core, and a barrier layer coaxially disposed around the superconducting layer. The superconducting layer can comprise a plurality of Nb.sub.3Sn grains stabilized by metal oxide particulates disposed therein. The Nb.sub.3Sn grains can have an average grain size of from 5 nm to 90 nm (for example, from 15 nm to 30 nm). The superconducting wire can have a high-field critical current density (J.sub.c) of at least 5,000 A/mm.sup.2 at a temperature of 4.2 K in a magnetic field of 12 T. Also described are superconducting wire precursors that can be heat treated to prepare superconducting wires, as well as methods of making superconducting wires.
Re-entrant unconventional superconductivity induced by rare-earth substitution in Nd 1-x Eu x NiO 2 thin films
High temperature superconductivity is typically associated with strong coupling and a large superconducting gap, yet these characteristics have not been demonstrated in the nickelates. Here, we provide experimental evidence that Eu substitution in the spacer layer of Nd 1-x Eu x NiO 2 (NENO) thin films enhances the superconducting gap, driving the system toward a strong-coupling regime. This is accompanied by a magnetic-exchange-driven magnetic-field-enhanced superconductivity. We investigate the upper critical magnetic field, H c2 , and the superconducting gap of superconducting NENO thin films with x = 0.2 to 0.35. Magnetoresistance measurements reveal magnetic-field-enhanced superconductivity in NENO films. We interpret this phenomenon as a result of an interaction between magnetic Eu ions and superconducting states in the Ni d x2-y2 orbital. The upper critical magnetic field strongly violates the weak-coupling Pauli limit. Infrared spectroscopy confirms a large gap-to-Tc ratio $2\Delta /{k}_{B}{T}_{{\rm{c}}}\simeq 5-6$, indicating a stronger coupling pairing mechanism in NENO relative to the Sr-doped NdNiO 2 . The substitution of Eu in the rare-earth layer causes pronounced modifications of the superconducting gap and magnetic interactions in Nd-based nickelates, opening new pathways to engineer high- T c superconductivity in infinite-layer nickelates.
Surface superconductivity in the type II Weyl semimetal TaIrTe 4
The search for unconventional superconductivity in Weyl semimetal materials is currently an exciting pursuit, since such superconducting phases could potentially be topologically non-trivial and host exotic Majorana modes. The layered material TaIrTe 4 is a newly predicted time-reversal invariant type II Weyl semimetal with the minimum number of Weyl points. Here, we report the discovery of surface superconductivity in Weyl semimetal TaIrTe 4 . Our scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS) visualizes Fermi arc surface states of TaIrTe 4 that are consistent with the previous angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy results. By a systematic study based on STS at ultralow temperature, we observe uniform superconducting gaps on the sample surface. The superconductivity is further confirmed by electrical transport measurements at ultralow temperature, with an onset transition temperature (T c ) up to 1.54 K being observed. The normalized upper critical field h*(T/T c ) behavior and the stability of the superconductivity against the ferromagnet indicate that the discovered superconductivity is unconventional with the p-wave pairing. The systematic STS, and thickness- and angular-dependent transport measurements reveal that the detected superconductivity is quasi-1D and occurs in the surface states. The discovery of the surface superconductivity in TaIrTe 4 provides a new novel platform to explore topological superconductivity and Majorana modes.
Emergent superconductivity in topological-kagome-magnet/metal heterostructures
Itinerant kagome lattice magnets exhibit many novel correlated and topological quantum electronic states with broken time-reversal symmetry. Superconductivity, however, has not been observed in this class of materials, presenting a roadblock in a promising path toward topological superconductivity. Here, we report that novel superconductivity can emerge at the interface of kagome Chern magnet TbMn 6 Sn 6 and metal heterostructures when elemental metallic thin films are deposited on either the top (001) surface or the side surfaces. Superconductivity is also successfully induced and systematically studied by using various types of metallic tips on different TbMn 6 Sn 6 surfaces in point-contact measurements. The anisotropy of the superconducting upper critical field suggests that the emergent superconductivity is quasi-two-dimensional. Remarkably, the interface superconductor couples to the magnetic order of the kagome metal and exhibits a hysteretic magnetoresistance in the superconducting states. Taking into account the spin-orbit coupling, the observed interface superconductivity can be a surprising and more realistic realization of the p-wave topological superconductors theoretically proposed for two-dimensional semiconductors proximity-coupled to s-wave superconductors and insulating ferromagnets. Our findings of robust superconductivity in topological-Chern-magnet/metal heterostructures offer a new direction for investigating spin-triplet pairing and topological superconductivity.
Signatures of chiral superconductivity in rhombohedral graphene
Chiral superconductors are unconventional superconducting states that break time-reversal symmetry spontaneously and typically feature Cooper pairing at non-zero angular momentum. Such states may host Majorana fermions and provide an important platform for topological physics research and fault-tolerant quantum computing. Despite intensive search and prolonged studies of several candidate systems, chiral superconductivity has remained elusive so far. Here we report the discovery of robust unconventional superconductivity in rhombohedral tetralayer and pentalayer graphene without moiré superlattice effects. We observed two superconducting states in the gate-induced flat conduction bands with T c up to 300 mK and charge density n e down to 2.4 ×10 11 cm −2 in five devices. Spontaneous time-reversal-symmetry breaking (TRSB) owing to orbital motion of the electron is found and several observations indicate the chiral nature of these superconducting states, including: (1) in the superconducting state, R xx shows magnetic hysteresis in varying out-of-plane magnetic field B ⊥ —absent from all other superconductors; (2) the superconducting states are robust against in-plane magnetic field and are developed within a spin-polarized and valley-polarized quarter-metal (QM) phase; (3) the normal states show anomalous Hall signals at zero magnetic field and magnetic hysteresis. Here, we also observed a critical B ⊥ of 1.4 T, higher than any graphene superconductivity, which indicates a strong-coupling superconductivity close to the Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer (BCS)–Bose–Einstein condensate (BEC) crossover. Our observations establish a pure carbon material for the study of topological superconductivity, with the promise to explore Majorana modes and topological quantum computing.
Nodal superconductivity in miassite Rh 17 S 15
Solid state chemistry has produced a plethora of materials with properties not found in nature. For example, high-temperature superconductivity in cuprates is drastically different from the superconductivity of naturally occurring metals and alloys and is frequently referred to as unconventional. Unconventional superconductivity is also found in other synthetic compounds, such as iron-based and heavy-fermion superconductors. Here, we report compelling evidence of unconventional nodal superconductivity in synthetic samples of Rh 17 S 15 (T c = 5.4 K), which is also found in nature as the mineral miassite. We investigated the temperature-dependent variation of the London penetration depth Δλ(T) and the disorder evolution of the critical superconducting temperature T c and the upper critical field H c2 (T) in single crystalline Rh 17 S 15 . We found a T - linear temperature variation of Δλ(T) below 0.3T c , which is consistent with the presence of nodal lines in the superconducting gap of Rh 17 S 15 . The nodal character of the superconducting state is supported by the observed suppression of T c and H c2 (T) in samples with a controlled level of non-magnetic disorder introduced by 2.5 MeV electron irradiation. We propose a nodal sign-changing superconducting gap in the A 1g irreducible representation, which preserves the cubic symmetry of the crystal and is in excellent agreement with the derived superfluid density. To the best of our knowledge, this establishes miassite as the only mineral known so far that reveals unconventional superconductivity in its clean synthetic form, though it is unlikely that it is present in natural crystals because of unavoidable impurities that quickly destroy nodal superconductivity.
Transient superconductivity at nano- and meso-scales
High-T c superconductivity is surpassed by few, if any, other unsolved problems in contemporary physics in terms of its richness, complexity, impact on other fields, and potential technological importance in energy applications. Recent discoveries reveal that the highest transition temperatures emerge under extraordinary experimental conditions such as the strong perturbation of a single atomic layer material by the underlying substrate, application of ~200 GPa pressure or ~MV/cm static electric fields, or irradiation by intense femtosecond optical fields. Research in superconductivity under extreme experimental conditions is challenging and requires the development of novel experimental methods and new theoretical tools suitable to tackle the problem. Our team has approached the challenges of transient superconductivity under intense optical fields by rethinking the types of experimental observables that are best suited to elucidate the physics of light-induced effects. This exercise has identified the need for: i) ultra-fast spatio-temporal probes enabling access to plasmonic properties and also nano-scale inhomogeneities that are ubiquitous in unconventional superconductors; ii) meso-scale structures and hybrid meta-surfaces imperative for strong enhancement of optical fields and iii) theoretical approaches suitable to explain and predict the response of superconductors under ultra-fast photo-excitation. Co-PIs have already made major advances with developing capabilities i)-iii). Therefore, our team is poised to make significant progress in transient superconductivity by exploring novel spatio-temporal effects that currently remain unattainable. Co-investigators will search for light-induced superconductivity in the high-T c cuprates to build upon spectacular recent results still lacking independent confirmations. Novel data acquisition methods combined with nano-plasmonic imaging will allow our team to test the hypothesis of photo-induced superconducting pairing. Spatio-temporal experiments will provide insights into the interplay between superconductivity and competing orders in the cuprates. Co-PIs will also investigate strong light-matter interaction and superconductivity in FeSe monolayers. Finally, we will study spatio-temporal electrodynamics of planar Josephson junctions. This latter direction will allow our team to thoroughly characterize one of the most fundamental examples of inhomogeneity in all of unconventional superconductivity. The proposed experiments in combination with theoretical analysis will provide information that is difficult to obtain using alternative methods. Basov and Averitt will carry out pump-probe spectroscopy and nano-imaging experiments. Averitt and Hone will design and fabricate state-of-the-art meta-surfaces. Theoretical and computational studies of ultrafast transient phenomena will be carried out by Millis and Fogler. Modeling of time-resolved nano-optical effects will be done by Fogler. The bulk of the requested budget will be used to support graduate students at Columbia & UCSD that will be co-supervised by co-PIs. The proposed program is transformative, since it will enable an entire suite of experiments previously either impossible or technically implausible. It will deliver critically important insights not only into mechanisms of unconventional superconductivity but also to many other correlated quantum materials.