Dirac-fermion-assisted interfacial superconductivity in epitaxial topological-insulator/iron-chalcogenide heterostructures

Yi, Hemian; Hu, Lun-Hui; Zhao, Yi-Fan; Zhou, Ling-Jie; Yan, Zi-Jie; Zhang, Ruoxi; Yuan, Wei; Wang, Zihao; Wang, Ke; Hickey, Danielle Reifsnyder; Richardella, Anthony R.; Singleton, John; Winter, Laurel E.; Wu, Xianxin; Chan, Moses H. W.; Samarth, Nitin; Liu, Chao-Xing; Chang, Cui-Zu

doi:10.1038/s41467-023-42902-2

Title: Dirac-fermion-assisted interfacial superconductivity in epitaxial topological-insulator/iron-chalcogenide heterostructures

Journal Article · 06 November 2023 · Nature Communications

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-42902-2 · OSTI ID:2204762

Yi, Hemian;

;

; Wang, Ke;

; Richardella, Anthony R.;

;

; Wu, Xianxin;

;

Abstract Over the last decade, the possibility of realizing topological superconductivity (TSC) has generated much excitement. TSC can be created in electronic systems where the topological and superconducting orders coexist, motivating the continued exploration of candidate material platforms to this end. Here, we use molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) to synthesize heterostructures that host emergent interfacial superconductivity when a non-superconducting antiferromagnet (FeTe) is interfaced with a topological insulator (TI) (Bi, Sb) ₂ Te ₃ . By performing in-vacuo angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) and ex-situ electrical transport measurements, we find that the superconducting transition temperature and the upper critical magnetic field are suppressed when the chemical potential approaches the Dirac point. We provide evidence to show that the observed interfacial superconductivity and its chemical potential dependence is the result of the competition between the Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida-type ferromagnetic coupling mediated by Dirac surface states and antiferromagnetic exchange couplings that generate the bicollinear antiferromagnetic order in the FeTe layer.

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Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: NONE; SC0023113

OSTI ID:: 2204762

Journal Information:: Nature Communications, Journal Name: Nature Communications Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 14; ISSN 2041-1723

Publisher:: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United Kingdom

Language:: English

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