Proximity-Induced High-Temperature Superconductivity in a Topological Insulator

ORAL

Abstract

New topological phases of matter have been proposed to exist at the surface of some materials with spin-orbit coupling called topological insulators. Among the different exotic features of topological insulators, the interface between a topological insulator and a superconductor is of great interest. It is predicted that combining these two materials would lead to the emergence of Majorana fermion excitations which enable several applications in spintronics and quantum computing. Towards this goal, we have investigated Bi$_{2}$Sr$_{2}$CaCu$_{2}$O$_{8+\delta }$(Bi-2212)- Bi$_{2}$Se$_{3}$ interface junctions made by a new mechanical-bonding technique. Current vs. voltage and differential conductance measurements have been performed in various temperatures ranging from room temperature to 5K. Several anomalies were observed in the Andreev spectra including a zero bias conductance peak appearing below the critical temperature of the superconductor Bi-2212 (85K), a reduced gap in Bi-2212 as well as the intrinsic gap of Bi-2212. These features suggest the induction of high-temperature superconductivity in the Bi$_{2}$Se$_{3}$ due to proximity to Bi-2212.

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Authors

  • Parisa Zareapour

    Department of Physics and Institute for Optical Sciences, University of Toronto

  • Alex Hayat

    Centre for Quantum Information and Quantum Control, and Institute for Optical Sciences, Department of Physics, University of Toronto, Department of Physics and Institute for Optical Sciences, University of Toronto

  • Shu Yang Frank Zhao

    University of Toronto, Department of Physics and Institute for Optical Sciences, University of Toronto

  • Anjan Reijnders

    University of Toronto, Department of Physics and Institute for Optical Sciences, University of Toronto

  • Mikhail Kreshchuk

    Department of Physics and Institute for Optical Sciences, University of Toronto

  • Achint Jain

    Department of Physics and Institute for Optical Sciences, University of Toronto

  • Daniel Kwok

    Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University

  • Nara Lee

    Department of Physics and Astronomy and Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA, Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA, Rutgers University, Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials and Dept of Phys and Astronomy, Rutgers U., NJ, USA, Department of Physics and Astronomy and Rutgers Center for emergent materials, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854 USA

  • S-W. Cheong

    Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials, Rutgers University, Department of Physics and Astronomy and Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA, Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA, Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials and Dept of Phys and Astronomy, Rutgers U., NJ, USA, Department of Physics and Astronomy and Rutgers Center for emergent materials, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854 USA

  • Zhijun Xu

    Brookhaven National Lab, CMP\&MS, Brookhaven National Laboratory, CMP\&MS Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory

  • Alina Yang

    CMP\&MS Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory

  • Genda Gu

    Brookhaven National Laboratory, Brookhaven National Lab, CMP\&MS, Brookhaven National Laboratory, CMP\&MS Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973-5000, USA

  • Kenneth Burch

    Department of Physics and Institute for Optical Sciences, University of Toronto