Atomic diffusion-induced polarization and superconductivity in topological insulator-based heterostructures

Fuente: arXiv
Guardado en:
Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Wei, Xian-Kui, Jalil, Abdur Rehman, Rüßmann, Philipp, Ando, Yoichi, Grützmacher, Detlev, Blügel, Stefan, Mayer, Joachim
Formato: Preprint
Publicado: 2023
Materias:
Acceso en línea:
Etiquetas: Agregar Etiqueta
Sin Etiquetas, Sea el primero en etiquetar este registro!
_version_ 1866911798253322240
author Wei, Xian-Kui
Jalil, Abdur Rehman
Rüßmann, Philipp
Ando, Yoichi
Grützmacher, Detlev
Blügel, Stefan
Mayer, Joachim
author_facet Wei, Xian-Kui
Jalil, Abdur Rehman
Rüßmann, Philipp
Ando, Yoichi
Grützmacher, Detlev
Blügel, Stefan
Mayer, Joachim
contents The proximity effect at a highly transparent interface of an s-wave superconductor (S) and a topological insulator (TI) provides a promising platform to create Majorana zero modes in artificially designed heterostructures. However, structural and chemical issues pertinent to such interfaces are poorly explored so far. Here, we report the discovery of Pd diffusion induced polarization at interfaces between superconductive Pd$_{1+x}$(Bi$_{0.4}$Te$_{0.6}$)$_2$ (xPBT, $0\le x \le 1$) and Pd-intercalated Bi$_2$Te$_3$ by using atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy. Our quantitative image analysis reveals that nanoscale lattice strain and QL polarity synergistically suppress and promote the Pd diffusion at the normal and parallel interfaces, formed between Te-Pd-Bi triple layers (TLs) and Te-Bi-Te-Bi-Te quintuple layers (QLs), respectively. Further, our first-principles calculations unveil that the superconductivity of xPBT phase and topological nature of Pd-intercalated Bi$_2$Te$_3$ phase are robust against the broken inversion symmetry. These findings point out the necessity of considering coexistence of electric polarization with superconductivity and topology in such S-TI systems.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2311_16590
institution arXiv
publishDate 2023
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Atomic diffusion-induced polarization and superconductivity in topological insulator-based heterostructures
Wei, Xian-Kui
Jalil, Abdur Rehman
Rüßmann, Philipp
Ando, Yoichi
Grützmacher, Detlev
Blügel, Stefan
Mayer, Joachim
Materials Science
Superconductivity
The proximity effect at a highly transparent interface of an s-wave superconductor (S) and a topological insulator (TI) provides a promising platform to create Majorana zero modes in artificially designed heterostructures. However, structural and chemical issues pertinent to such interfaces are poorly explored so far. Here, we report the discovery of Pd diffusion induced polarization at interfaces between superconductive Pd$_{1+x}$(Bi$_{0.4}$Te$_{0.6}$)$_2$ (xPBT, $0\le x \le 1$) and Pd-intercalated Bi$_2$Te$_3$ by using atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy. Our quantitative image analysis reveals that nanoscale lattice strain and QL polarity synergistically suppress and promote the Pd diffusion at the normal and parallel interfaces, formed between Te-Pd-Bi triple layers (TLs) and Te-Bi-Te-Bi-Te quintuple layers (QLs), respectively. Further, our first-principles calculations unveil that the superconductivity of xPBT phase and topological nature of Pd-intercalated Bi$_2$Te$_3$ phase are robust against the broken inversion symmetry. These findings point out the necessity of considering coexistence of electric polarization with superconductivity and topology in such S-TI systems.
title Atomic diffusion-induced polarization and superconductivity in topological insulator-based heterostructures
topic Materials Science
Superconductivity
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.16590