Vacuum-dressed superconductivity in NbN observed in a high-$Q$ terahertz cavity
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arXiv
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| Autores principales: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Formato: | Preprint |
| Publicado: |
2026
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| _version_ | 1866908761411551232 |
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| author | Xu, Hongjing Baydin, Andrey Yi, Qinyan Lu, I-Te Zhu, Ningxu Kritzell, T. Elijah Doumani, Jacques Kim, Dasom Tay, Fuyang Rubio, Angel Kono, Junichiro |
| author_facet | Xu, Hongjing Baydin, Andrey Yi, Qinyan Lu, I-Te Zhu, Ningxu Kritzell, T. Elijah Doumani, Jacques Kim, Dasom Tay, Fuyang Rubio, Angel Kono, Junichiro |
| contents | Emerging theoretical frameworks suggest that physical properties of matter can be altered within an optical cavity by harnessing quantum vacuum electromagnetic fluctuations, even in the total absence of external driving fields. Among the most intriguing predictions is the potential to noninvasively manipulate superconductivity. Here, we experimentally observe modified superconductivity in niobium nitride (NbN) thin films within high-quality-factor ($Q$) terahertz cavities. Using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy, we characterize the NbN response both in free space and within a high-$Q$ photonic-crystal cavity. Our analysis reveals significant cavity-induced modifications to the optical conductivity. A theoretical model indicates that these changes originate from a substantial ($\sim13\,\%$) reduction in the superfluid density and a minor ($\sim2\,\%$) reduction in the superconducting gap, driven by cavity vacuum fluctuations. These results demonstrate a platform for engineering ground states via vacuum--matter coupling, opening frontiers in cavity materials science. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2601_08191 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Vacuum-dressed superconductivity in NbN observed in a high-$Q$ terahertz cavity Xu, Hongjing Baydin, Andrey Yi, Qinyan Lu, I-Te Zhu, Ningxu Kritzell, T. Elijah Doumani, Jacques Kim, Dasom Tay, Fuyang Rubio, Angel Kono, Junichiro Optics Superconductivity Quantum Physics Emerging theoretical frameworks suggest that physical properties of matter can be altered within an optical cavity by harnessing quantum vacuum electromagnetic fluctuations, even in the total absence of external driving fields. Among the most intriguing predictions is the potential to noninvasively manipulate superconductivity. Here, we experimentally observe modified superconductivity in niobium nitride (NbN) thin films within high-quality-factor ($Q$) terahertz cavities. Using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy, we characterize the NbN response both in free space and within a high-$Q$ photonic-crystal cavity. Our analysis reveals significant cavity-induced modifications to the optical conductivity. A theoretical model indicates that these changes originate from a substantial ($\sim13\,\%$) reduction in the superfluid density and a minor ($\sim2\,\%$) reduction in the superconducting gap, driven by cavity vacuum fluctuations. These results demonstrate a platform for engineering ground states via vacuum--matter coupling, opening frontiers in cavity materials science. |
| title | Vacuum-dressed superconductivity in NbN observed in a high-$Q$ terahertz cavity |
| topic | Optics Superconductivity Quantum Physics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.08191 |