CAREER: Tunable Connate Topological Superconductivity in 2D Transition Metal Dichalcogenides

非技术摘要：超导和基于量子的技术是实现更快和更有效的计算、能量高效的电能传输和增强材料计量能力的新方法的有前途的途径。一种实现此类技术量子态强健读取的方案是将超导与只存在于材料边缘的电子态相结合，产生一种融合了这两种性质的特殊状态：共生拓扑超导。少层过渡金属二卤化物是一类很有前途的材料，已被预测为具有共生拓扑超导电性，并且随着静电环境的适度变化而高度可调。在这个项目中，研究小组的目标是发现、开发和静电控制半金属和超导过渡金属二盐类化合物中的共生拓扑超导行为。这个项目的成功将引入新的方法来探索新的超导形式，并导致对管理超导的一般机制的更深入的了解。此外，该项目将研究生和本科生纳入研究工作，并与当地学区的教师合作，为K-12学生开发和开展外联活动。技术摘要：二维共生拓扑超导体是一种独特的系统，其中二维材料的块体内部具有超导电性，而边缘同时具有拓扑上的非平凡状态。结果是，块体超导电性在非平凡的边态中产生超导电性，从而产生超导边态。这个项目的目标是发现、发展和静电控制非中心对称的T‘和TD二维超导体中的共生拓扑超导电性和伴随的超导边态。康奈特拓扑超导性已经被提出用于许多块体材料，但由于许多原子层上大量集中的电荷载流子引起的强电子屏蔽，共生拓扑超导电性的实验证据和操纵仍然有限。具有中等载流子浓度的原子薄T‘和TD超导体为更好地理解和控制共生的拓扑超导现象提供了机会。由于低电子屏蔽，二维共生拓扑超导体的行为可以通过静电门控来调节，而不会引入无序。实现一个共生的拓扑超导体和相关的超导边缘状态，这超出了标准的Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer理论的范围，将为超导如何在没有声子的严格促进下出现提供关键的见解，并可能对设计具有长相干时间的量子比特有用。这一奖项反映了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 Abstract: Superconducting and quantum-based technologies are promising avenues for realizing faster and more efficient computation, energy-efficient transport of electricity, and novel methods that enhance the capabilities of materials metrology. One scheme for realizing robust reading of quantum states for such technologies is to combine superconductivity with electronic states that only exist at the edges of materials, resulting in a special state that merges these two properties: connate topological superconductivity. Few-layer transition metal dichalcogenides are a promising subclass of materials that have been predicted to exhibit connate topological superconductivity and are highly tunable with moderate changes to the electrostatic environment. In this project, the research team aims to discover, develop, and electrostatically control connate topological superconducting behavior in semimetallic and superconducting transition metal dichalcogenides. The success of this project will introduce new methods with which to probe novel forms of superconductivity and lead to greater insight into the general mechanisms that govern superconductivity. In addition, this project integrates graduate and undergraduate students into the research effort and develops and runs outreach activities for K-12 students in collaboration with teachers from local school districts. Technical Abstract: A two-dimensional connate topological superconductor is a unique system where the bulk interior of a two-dimensional material exhibits superconductivity while the edge simultaneously hosts a topologically nontrivial state. As a result, the bulk superconductivity induces superconductivity in the nontrivial edge states, giving rise to superconducting edge states. The goal of this project is to discover, develop, and electrostatically control connate topological superconductivity and the concomitant superconducting edge states in noncentrosymmetric, T’ and Td, two-dimensional superconductors. Connate topological superconductivity has been proposed for a number of bulk materials, but the experimental evidence for and manipulation of connate topological superconductivity has remained limited due to strong electronic screening caused by a large concentration of charge carriers across many atomic layers. Atomically thin T’ and Td superconductors with moderate charge carrier concentrations offer an opportunity to better understand and control connate topological superconductivity phenomena. Because of the low electronic screening, the behavior of two-dimensional connate topological superconductors may be tuned without introducing disorder via electrostatic gating. Realizing a connate topological superconductor and the associated superconducting edge states, which are beyond the scope of standard Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer theory, would give crucial insight into how superconductivity can emerge without strictly being facilitated by phonons and could be useful for engineering qubits with long coherence times.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.