Exponential decrease of the collective vortex state energy with layer number in 2H-NbSe2

ORAL

Abstract

In the last years, a new generation of superconductors truly in the two-dimensional limit has been discovered in van der Waals materials. Recently, it has been shown that these type-II SCs can be extremely sensitive to external perturbation which pushes the system into a non-equilibrium steady state exhibiting metallic-like behavior [1]. Here we study the equilibrium and non-equilibrium phase diagrams of few-layered 2H-NbSe2 with minimal external perturbations. At finite magnetic field we observe a current-induced crossover to a non-activated metallic-like regime with a critical current that reduces with layer number. We discuss our results both phenomenologically and in the vortex picture which we compare with time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau simulations. In the vortex-picture we attribute the crossover to a transition from a pinned to unpinned vortex liquid. Finally, we demonstrate that by spreading non-uniform currents, we stabilize different vortex steady states in different spatial locations, potentially leading to novel interfaces.

[1] - Tamir, I., Benyamini, A. et al. Sensitivity of the Superconducting State in Thin Films. (2018)

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Presenters

  • Avishai Benyamini

    Department of Physics, Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University

Authors

  • Avishai Benyamini

    Department of Physics, Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University

  • Evan Telford

    Columbia University

  • Da Wang

    Columbia University

  • Dante Kennes

    Freie Universitaet Berlin, Dahlem Center for Complex Quantum Systems and Fachbereich Physik, Freie Universitat Berlin, Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Freie Universität Berlin, Physics, Freie Universität Berlin, Dahlem Center for Complex Quantum Systems and Fachbereich Physik, Freie Universität Berlin, Fachbereich Physik, Freie Universit{\"a}t Berlin, Columbia University

  • Kenji Watanabe

    National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305 0044, Japan, Advanced Materials Laboratory, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan, National Institute for Materials Science, Advanced Materials Laboratory, National Institute for Materials Science, , 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan, National Institute for Material Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, National Institute of Materials Science, NIMS, Japan, Advanced Materials Laboratory, NIMS, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan, National Institute for Materials Science, Japan, Advanced Materials Laboratory, National Institute for Materials Science, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), NIMS Tsukuba, National Institute for Materials Science (Japan), NIMS, National Institute for Material Science, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Japan, National Institute for Materials Science , Japan, National Institute for Materials Science, Namiki 1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan., Advanced Materials Laboratory, National Institute for Materials Science, Japan, Advanced Materials Laboratory, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305- 0044, Japan, National Institute for Material Science - Japan, National Institute for Materials Science, Namiki Tsukuba Ibaraki, Japan, National Institute of Material Science, Advanced Material Lab, NIMS, Advanced Materials Laboratory, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan, Advanced Materials Laboratory, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, National Institute for Materials Science, NIMS/Tsukuba, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, 305-0044 Japan, National Institute for Materials Science, Namiki, 305-0044, Japan, National Institute for Material Science, Japan, Advanced Materials Laboratory, NIMS, Japan, Columbia University, Advanced Materials Labaratory, National Institute for Materials Science, National Institute of Material Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 205-0044, Japan, National Institute of Materials Science, Japan

  • Takashi Taniguchi

    Advanced Materials Laboratory, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan, National Institute for Materials Science, Japan, National Institute for Materials Science (Japan), National Institute for Materials Science, NIMS, Kyoto University, National Institute for Materials Science, Namiki 1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan., National Institute of Materials Science

  • Andrew Millis

    Center for Computational Quantum Physics, Flatiron Institute, Physics, Columbia University, Columbia University, Department of Physics, Columbia University, Center for Computational Quantum Physics, Flatiron Institute, NY, NY, 10010, National Institute of Materials Science, Center for Computational Quantum Physics, Flatiorn Institute, Physics Department, Columbia University

  • James Hone

    Columbia University, Mechanics, Columbia University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University in the City of New York, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 USA, Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University

  • Cory R Dean

    Columbia University, Department of Physics, Columbia University in the City of New York, Department of Physics, Columbia University, Physics, Columbia University, Physics Department, Columbia University

  • Abhay Pasupathy

    Columbia University, Physics, Columbia University, Department of Physics, Columbia University in the City of New York, Physics Department, Columbia University, Department of Physics, Columbia University