Uniaxial Strain Effect on Superconductivity in LaAlO<sub>3</sub>/SrTiO<sub>3</sub> Nanostructures

ORAL

Abstract

We investigate the effects of uniaxial strain on superconductivity in nanowires created at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface using conductive atomic force microscope (c-AFM) lithography [1]. C-AFM-written areas are associated with Z-oriented ferroelastic domains, surrounded by in-plane insulating regions [2]. Application of external uniaxial stress is expected to displace the ferroelastic domain boundaries, either inward or outward, depending on the sign. Our initial experiments indicate that tensile and compressive strains profoundly affect the superconducting state at milli-Kelvin temperatures. Uniaxial stretching of the nanowire in the parallel direction is found to completely suppress the superconducting state, while reversal of the applied strain restores superconductivity. We discuss implications for understanding possible role of ferroelastic domain walls in electron-pairing mechanisms.

[1] C. Cen, et al., Nature Materials 7, 298 (2008).
[2] Y.-Y. Pai, et al., Phys Rev Lett 120, 147001 (2018).

*JL acknowledges a Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship, funded by ONR (N00014-15-1-2847). C-BE acknowledges NSF DMREF (DMR-1629270), AFOSR (FA9550-15-1-0334), and AOARD (FA2386-15-1-4046).

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Presenters

  • Xinyi Wu

    • Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh

Authors

  • Xinyi Wu

    • Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh

  • Megan Briggeman

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh
    • Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh
    • University of Pittsburgh

  • Joseph Albro

    • Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh

  • Jianan Li

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh
    • Department of Physics, University of Pittsburgh
    • University of Pittsburgh
    • Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh
    • Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh

  • Jungwoo Lee

    • Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison
    • University of Wisconsin-Madison
    • Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin–Madison
    • Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison
    • Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison
    • Materials Science and Engineering, Univ of Wisconsin-Madison

  • Hyungwoo Lee

    • Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin–Madison
    • Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison
    • University of Wisconsin-Madison
    • Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison
    • Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison
    • Materials Science and Engineering, Univ of Wisconsin-Madison
    • University of Wisconsin–Madison

  • Chang-Beom Eom

    • Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin–Madison
    • Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison
    • University of Wisconsin-Madison
    • Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison
    • Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison
    • Materials Science and Engineering, Univ of Wisconsin-Madison
    • University of Wisconsin–Madison

  • Patrick Irvin

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh
    • Department of Physics, University of Pittsburgh
    • University of Pittsburgh
    • Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh
    • Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh

  • Jeremy Levy

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh
    • Department of Physics, University of Pittsburgh
    • University of Pittsburgh
    • Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh
    • Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh