Strain-engineered interaction of quantum polar and superconducting phases

ORAL

Abstract

Much of the focus of modern condensed matter physics concerns control of quantum phases with examples that include flat band superconductivity in graphene bilayers, the interplay of magnetism and ferroelectricity, and induction of topological transitions by strain. Here we report the first observation of a reproducible and strong enhancement of the superconducting critical temperature, Tc, in strontium titanate (SrTiO3) obtained through careful strain engineering of interacting superconducting phase and the polar quantum phase (quantum paraelectric). Our results show a nearly 50% increase in Tc with indications that the increase could become several hundred percent. We have thus discovered a means to control the interaction of two quantum phases through application of strain, which may be important for quantum information science. Further, our work elucidates the enigmatic pseudogap-like and preformed electron pairs phenomena in low dimensional strontium titanate as potentially resulting from the local strain of jammed tetragonal domains.

*The State of Connecticut for startup funds. J. C. for Mark Miller award. A.V.B. and K.D. for US BES E3B7, VILLUM FONDEN via the Centre of Excellence for Dirac Materials (Grant No. 11744) and by Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (2013.0096).

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Presenters

  • Ilya Sochnikov

    • Physics, University of Connecticut
    • Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA

Authors

  • Chloe Herrera

    • Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA

  • Jonah Cerbin

    • Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA

  • Kirsty Dunnett

    • Nordic Institute for Theoretical Physics, Stockholm
    • Condensed Matter, Nordita, Stockholm, Sweeden

  • Alexander Balatsky

    • Nordita
    • Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • Nordic Institute for Theoretical Physics, Stockholm
    • Institute for Materials Science, Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • NORDITA
    • Nordic Institute for Theoretical Physics
    • Los Alamos National Laboratory, Institute for Materials Science
    • Institute for Material Science, Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA

  • Ilya Sochnikov

    • Physics, University of Connecticut
    • Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA