CAREER: Search for Odd-Parity Superconductivity through Proximate Polar Phases

非技术描述：这个职业奖支持对一种特殊类型的超导性的实验研究，这种超导性被称为奇宇称超导。奇宇称超导性是一种极其罕见和不寻常的物质相，从基础科学的角度来看非常有趣。然而，自然界中关于这一阶段的已知真实例子有限，然而，找到奇宇称超导体的新材料对该领域的进展至关重要。也许奇宇称超导电性最令人兴奋的前景是发现拓扑超导相的可能性。这种阶段预计将在未来的量子信息技术中得到应用。该项目的积极成果将证实长期以来的理论观点，并可能对量子技术的发展产生深远的影响。正如计算机时代的到来与利用硅来构建晶体管电路紧密相关一样，量子计算机的发展将需要一个能够克服量子退相干的强大材料平台。奇宇称超导体可能是实现这一目标的关键。该项目将研究与教育和宣传相结合。它提供对本科生和研究生的指导，并包括在当地社区的科学宣传，特别强调扩大在STEM领域传统上代表性不足的群体的参与。技术描述：这个职业项目对奇宇称超导性可能出现在共存的极序参数的涨落附近的假设进行了实验测试。这一假设是由最近的理论工作所推动的，这些工作表明，在具有强烈的自旋-轨道耦合和起伏的反转对称破缺顺序的材料中，增强的奇宇称库珀配对。像这样的本征奇宇称超导相很重要，因为它们构成了为数不多的实现拓扑超导的已知途径之一，这在量子信息科学和建造量子计算机方面具有潜在的应用。为了实现这些目标，本项目包括开发新的实验工具，以确定自然超导体中自发近极相的存在，抑制极序参数以增强量子临界涨落，并研究极涨落对超导对对称性的影响。最终，该项目将产生可靠地检测和表征在共存的极性相附近出现的奇宇称超导相的方法。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

NON-TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION:This CAREER award supports experimental research on a special type of superconductivity called odd-parity superconductivity. Odd-parity superconductivity is an extremely rare and unusual phase of matter that is highly interesting from a fundamental science perspective. There are limited known real examples of this phase in nature, however, finding new materials that are odd-parity superconductors is crucial for progress in the field. Perhaps the most exciting prospect of odd-parity superconductivity is the possibility of finding a topological superconducting phase. Such a phase is predicted to have applications in future quantum information technologies. Positive results of this project will confirm longstanding theoretical ideas and may have far-reaching consequences for quantum technology development. Just as the advent of the computer age is strongly tied to the harnessing of silicon to build transistor circuitry, the development of quantum computers will require a robust material platform that can overcome quantum decoherence. Odd-parity superconductors may be the key to achieving this goal. This project integrates research with education and outreach. It provides for mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, and includes science outreach in the local community, with a special emphasis on broadening the participation of groups that are traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields. TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION:This CAREER project experimentally tests the hypothesis that odd-parity superconductivity is likely to emerge in proximity to fluctuations of a coexistent polar order parameter. This hypothesis is motivated by recent theoretical work showing enhanced odd-parity Cooper pairing in materials with both strong spin-orbit coupling and fluctuating inversion symmetry breaking order. Intrinsic odd-parity superconducting phases like this are important because they comprise one of the few known routes to realizing topological superconductivity, which has potential applications in quantum information science and the quest to build a quantum computer. To achieve these goals, this project involves developing novel experimental tools to establish the existence of spontaneous proximate polar phases in native superconductors, suppress the polar order parameter to enhance quantum critical fluctuations, and study the effects of the polar fluctuations on the superconducting pairing symmetry. Ultimately, this project will yield ways to reliably detect and characterize odd-parity superconducting phases that emerge in proximity to coexistent polar phases.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.