Exploring unconventional pairing symmetry in topological materials and novel doped two-dimensional superconductors

该奖项来自材料研究部凝聚态物理项目，支持印第安纳大学厄巴纳香槟分校的一个项目，以确定外来超导体背后的基本机制。这些材料表现为零电阻，但其性质却鲜为人知。这项工作将解决目前关于外来超导体性质的争议，揭示新的物理学，从而为外来超导体的应用奠定基础。该研究的协作结构将为在纳米技术相关工作的广谱方面培训本科生和研究生提供丰富的环境。将通过开设与拟议的研究直接有关的课程和以妇女和代表性不足的少数民族为对象的与研究有关的讨论会和讲习班，进一步结合教育方面的内容。这个项目的目标是确定被怀疑表现出非常规配对对称性的超导材料的对称性和输运性质。目的是获得对复杂超导系统的关键见解，并为在设备中利用新型激励模式奠定基础。重点将放在新类别的材料上，这些材料的超导性可能是非常规的，但其配对对称性尚未得到验证，并且对其输运知之甚少：具体而言，邻近耦合拓扑绝缘体（可能是复杂p波），拓扑超导体（可能是复杂p波）和掺杂二硫族化合物（未知对称性）。一套互补的实验技术将用于最佳地探测超导性，包括：相敏约瑟夫森干涉仪，隧道光谱，低温输运，纳米模式的接近耦合，以及强化学或离子掺杂。这项工作将解决关于外来超导体序参量对称性的争议，并揭示新的物理学，如超导拓扑系统中Majorana模式的存在或掺杂二硫化钼中圆顶状超导相图的性质。该研究的协作结构将为在纳米技术相关工作的广谱方面培训本科生和研究生提供丰富的环境。将通过开设与拟议的研究直接有关的课程和以妇女和代表性不足的少数民族为对象的与研究有关的讨论会和讲习班，进一步结合教育方面的内容。

NON-TECHNICALThis award from the Condensed Matter Physics program of the Division of Materials Research supports the University of Indiana at Urbana Champaign with a project to determine the fundamental mechanisms behind exotic superconductors. These are materials that exhibit zero electrical resistance, but whose properties are poorly understood. This work will resolve current controversies regarding the properties of exotic superconductors and reveal new physics, thereby laying the groundwork for utilizing exotic superconductors in applications. The collaborative structure of the research will provide a rich environment for training undergraduates and graduate students in a broad spectrum of nanotechnology-related work. Educational aspects will be further integrated through the development of courses directly related to the proposed research and through research-related seminars and workshops that target women and underrepresented minorities.TECHNICALThe goal of this project is to determine the symmetry and transport properties of superconducting materials suspected of exhibiting unconventional pairing symmetry. The aim is to both gain key insight into complex superconducting systems and also to lay the groundwork for utilizing novel excitation modes in devices. The focus will be on new classes of materials whose superconductivity is likely to be unconventional, but whose pairing symmetry has not been verified and whose transport is poorly understood: specifically, proximity-coupled topological insulators (possibly complex p-wave), topological superconductors (possibly complex p-wave), and doped dichalcogenides (unknown symmetry). A suite of complementary experimental techniques will be used to optimally probe superconductivity, including: phase-sensitive Josephson interferometery, tunneling spectroscopy, low-temperature transport, nano-patterned proximity-coupling, and strong chemical or ionic doping. This work will resolve controversies regarding the order parameter symmetry of exotic superconductors and reveal new physics, such as the existence of Majorana modes in superconducting topological systems or the nature of the dome-shaped superconducting phase diagram in doped MoS2. The collaborative structure of the research will provide a rich environment for training undergraduates and graduate students in a broad spectrum of nanotechnology-related work. Educational aspects will be further integrated through the development of courses directly related to the proposed research and through research-related seminars and workshops that target women and underrepresented minorities.