Observation of π-phase shift in chiral molecule intercalated 2D superconductor tantalum disulfide

ORAL

Abstract

It has been suggested that chiral superconductivity may exist in non-centrosymmetric superconductors, although such non-centrosymmetry is uncommon in conventional solid-state lattices. Chiral molecules with neither mirror nor inversion symmetry have been widely investigated, in which the spin degeneracy may be lifted by the molecular chirality. Herein we report the first investigation of unconventional superconductivity in chiral molecule intercalated tantalum disulfide (TaS2) hybrid superlattices and reveal one of the key experimental signatures of possible chiral superconductivity. Little-Parks measurements demonstrate a robust and reproducible half-flux quantum phase shift in both left- and right-handed chiral molecule intercalated TaS2, which is absent in pristine TaS2 or achiral molecule intercalated TaS2, highlighting the essential role of molecular chirality in inducing unconventional superconductivity. The robust half-flux quantum phase shift demonstrates unconventional superconductivity and constitutes one of the key evidence supporting a chiral superconducting ordering parameter. Our study signifies the potential of hybrid superlattices with intriguing coupling between the crystalline atomic layers and the self-assembled molecular layers. It could chart a versatile path to artificial quantum materials by combining a vast library of layered crystals of rich physical properties with the nearly infinite choices of molecules of designable structural motifs and functional groups.

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Publication: arXiv:2302.05078

Presenters

  • Zhong Wan

    UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles

Authors

  • Zhong Wan

    UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles

  • qi qian

    University of California, Los Angeles

  • Gang Qui

    University of California, Los Angeles

  • Huaying Ren

    UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles

  • Zdeněk Sofer

    University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Institute of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, .

  • Kang L Wang

    University of California, Los Angeles, Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, California

  • Xiangfeng Duan

    UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles

  • Yu Huang

    University of California, Los Angeles

  • Yaochen Li

    University of California, Los Angeles, UCLA