Detection of a pair density wave state in UTe2

Gu, Qiangqiang; Carroll, Joseph P.; Wang, Shuqiu; Ran, Sheng; Broyles, Christopher; Siddiquee, Hasan; Butch, Nicholas P.; Saha, Shanta R.; Paglione, Johnpierre; Davis, J. C.  Séamus; Liu, Xiaolong

doi:10.1038/s41586-023-05919-7

Detection of a pair density wave state in UTe2

Journal Article · 28 June 2023 · Nature (London)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-05919-7· OSTI ID:2420995

^[1]; Carroll, Joseph P.; ; Ran, Sheng; Broyles, Christopher; Siddiquee, Hasan; ; Saha, Shanta R.; ; ;

OSTI

Abstract

Spin-triplet topological superconductors should exhibit many unprecedented electronic properties, including fractionalized electronic states relevant to quantum information processing. Although UTe₂may embody such bulk topological superconductivity^1–11, its superconductive order parameter Δ(k) remains unknown¹². Many diverse forms for Δ(k) are physically possible¹²in such heavy fermion materials¹³. Moreover, intertwined^14,15density waves of spin (SDW), charge (CDW) and pair (PDW) may interpose, with the latter exhibiting spatially modulating^14,15superconductive order parameter Δ(r), electron-pair density^16–19and pairing energy gap^17,20–23. Hence, the newly discovered CDW state²⁴in UTe₂motivates the prospect that a PDW state may exist in this material^24,25. To search for it, we visualize the pairing energy gap with μeV-scale energy resolution using superconductive scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) tips^26–31. We detect three PDWs, each with peak-to-peak gap modulations of around 10 μeV and at incommensurate wavevectorsP_i=1,2,3that are indistinguishable from the wavevectorsQ_i=1,2,3of the prevenient²⁴CDW. Concurrent visualization of the UTe₂superconductive PDWs and the non-superconductive CDWs shows that everyP_i:Q_ipair exhibits a relative spatial phaseδϕ ≈ π. From these observations, and given UTe₂as a spin-triplet superconductor¹², this PDW state should be a spin-triplet PDW^24,25. Although such states do exist³²in superfluid³He, for superconductors, they are unprecedented.

Research Organization:: Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC)

DOE Contract Number:: SC0019154

OSTI ID:: 2420995

Journal Information:: Nature (London), Journal Name: Nature (London) Journal Issue: 7967 Vol. 618; ISSN 0028-0836

Publisher:: Nature Publishing Group

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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