What causes the variation in superconducting properties of UTe$_{2}$?
Fuente:
arXiv
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2025
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1866915511610114048 |
|---|---|
| author | Kengle, C. S. Schnitzer, Noah Bordelon, M. M. Thomas, S. M. Rosa, P. F. S. |
| author_facet | Kengle, C. S. Schnitzer, Noah Bordelon, M. M. Thomas, S. M. Rosa, P. F. S. |
| contents | Reaching a consensus on the superconducting order parameter of unconventional superconductors remains a central challenge in the field of magnetically-mediated superconductivity. Though UTe$_{2}$ is largely accepted as a rare example of an odd-parity superconductor, its precise order parameter remains highly debated, even at ambient conditions. A key underlying issue is the large sample-to-sample variation in superconducting properties at zero applied pressure and magnetic field. Here, we investigate the origin of the observed variation by means of single crystal x-ray diffraction (SC-XRD) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) measurements. Our results reveal highly ordered crystalline lattices, in agreement with the expected $Immm$ structure, and no signs of uranium vacancies. Tiny amounts of interstitial defects, however, are observed on the Te2 layers that host Te chains along the b axis. We argue that these defects give rise to slightly enhanced atomic displacement parameters observed in SC-XRD data and are enough to disrupt the unconventional superconducting state in UTe$_{2}$. Our findings highlight the need to focus future order parameter determination efforts on single crystals of UTe$_{2}$ with minimal amounts of structural disorder. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_20298 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | What causes the variation in superconducting properties of UTe$_{2}$? Kengle, C. S. Schnitzer, Noah Bordelon, M. M. Thomas, S. M. Rosa, P. F. S. Superconductivity Strongly Correlated Electrons Reaching a consensus on the superconducting order parameter of unconventional superconductors remains a central challenge in the field of magnetically-mediated superconductivity. Though UTe$_{2}$ is largely accepted as a rare example of an odd-parity superconductor, its precise order parameter remains highly debated, even at ambient conditions. A key underlying issue is the large sample-to-sample variation in superconducting properties at zero applied pressure and magnetic field. Here, we investigate the origin of the observed variation by means of single crystal x-ray diffraction (SC-XRD) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) measurements. Our results reveal highly ordered crystalline lattices, in agreement with the expected $Immm$ structure, and no signs of uranium vacancies. Tiny amounts of interstitial defects, however, are observed on the Te2 layers that host Te chains along the b axis. We argue that these defects give rise to slightly enhanced atomic displacement parameters observed in SC-XRD data and are enough to disrupt the unconventional superconducting state in UTe$_{2}$. Our findings highlight the need to focus future order parameter determination efforts on single crystals of UTe$_{2}$ with minimal amounts of structural disorder. |
| title | What causes the variation in superconducting properties of UTe$_{2}$? |
| topic | Superconductivity Strongly Correlated Electrons |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.20298 |