Interface superconductivity in La_2-xSr_xCuO₄heterostructures

The lossless flow of current and the high, stable magnetic fields permitted by superconductor technology have led to advances in fields ranging from transportation to medical imaging. However, the low T_c of conventional superconductors—often below 30 K— has limited their commercial applicability. Previous work has demonstrated high-T_c superconductivity at interfaces between thin films of non-superconducting materials, such as between insulating and metallic La_2-xSr_xCuO₄ [1]. Here, we aim to grow high-quality heterostructures of underdoped and overdoped La_2-xSr_xCuO₄ on SrTiO₃ and LaSrAlO₄ with atomic layer-by-layer molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). We assess the samples grown with atomic force microscopy (AFM) and high-resolution x-ray diffraction (HRXRD). We then perform transport measurements on the La_2-xSr_xCuO₄ heterostructures to examine the possible mechanisms behind T_c enhancement at atomic interfaces.
1. A. Gozar et. al, Nature 455, no. 7214, 782-785 (2008).