Defect Density and Superconductivity in CVT and Salt Flux Grown Uranium Ditelluride

ORAL

Abstract

Unconventional superconductors are notoriously sensitive to defects in their crystal structures, and spin-triplet candidate uranium ditelluride (UTe2) is no exception. What differentiates UTe2 from other unconventional superconductors such as UCoGe and URhGe, however, is how remarkably weak the correlation is between relative resistance ratio (a typically reliable metric of crystalline quality in metallic systems) and the field and temperature stability of its superconducting phases. In this presentation, I will describe how seemingly small variations in synthesis conditions can lead to pronounced effects on superconducting order of UTe2. I will also discuss recent efforts to optimize crystal growth techniques to maximize crystal size and percent yield without compromising crystal quality.

*NSF-DMR 2105191, Maryland Quantum Materials Center, and New Mexico State University Department of Chemistry

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Presenters

  • Corey E Frank

    • New Mexico State University
    • Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, 88003, USA

Authors

  • Corey E Frank

    • New Mexico State University
    • Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, 88003, USA

  • Gicela S Salas

    • University of Texas at El Paso
    • Maryland Quantum Materials Center, Department of Physics, University of Maryland College Park

  • Sylvia K Lewin

    • National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

  • Thomas J Halloran

    • University of Maryland College Park

  • Peter A Czajka

    • National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

  • John Singleton

    • NHMFL / LANL
    • Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)

  • Johnpierre Paglione

    • University of Maryland College Park
    • Maryland Quantum Materials Center, Department of Physics, University of Maryland College Park

  • Nicholas P Butch

    • National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
    • Department of Physics, Maryland Quantum Materials Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
    • NCNR, National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST)