Anti-proximity Effect in Single Crystal Aluminum Nanowires

A novel antiproximity effect in Zn nanowires was reported where it was found that superconductivity of an array of Zn nanowires, 40 nm in diameter, was suppressed by bulk superconducting electrodes. The Zn nanowire array recovered its superconductivity when the bulk electrodes were driven normal by an applied magnetic field. [Tian, M. et al. \textit{Phys. Rev. Lett.} \textbf{2005}, $95$, 076802. Tian, M et al. \textit{Phys. Rev. B} \textbf{2006}, $74$, 014515]. We have confirmed this counterintuitive effect in single-crystal superconducting Aluminum nanowires in array and single-wire measurements. The critical current of the Aluminum nanowires is found to increase when the bulk measuring electrodes are changed from superconducting to normal.