High-pressure studies of Charge-Density-Wave Superconductors

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Superconductivity and Charge-Density-Wave order are intriguing states of matter. In particular superconductivity has an enormous technological potential. The lossless transmission of electrical power in superconductors can be used to make huge energy savings. Indeed, first prototypes of superconducting power lines are being established in the USA and Korea. Superconductors also facilitate high stable magnetic fields used for magnetic resonance scanning in healthcare and are one of the most promising routes towards quantum computing.Currently the potential of superconductivity for applications is held back by limitations to the understanding of the microscopic origin. Further understanding of superconductivity and related phenomena is likely to allow much wider applications. This grant will study the interplay of Superconductivity and charge-density-wave order. Traditionally, the superconductivity and charge-density-wave order are thought to be in competition with superconductivity often weakened by the presence of charge-density-wave order. Yet, the recent discovery of charge-density-wave order in high-temperature copper-oxide superconductors raises the possibility of superconductivity being driven by charge-density-wave order. Unfortunately, copper-oxide superconductors are very complex materials where it is difficult to disentangle the effects of the charge-density-wave order from other phenomena. This is why we will study less complicated model systems.We explore the limits of various theoretical scenarios in selected model materials and relate those results to the high-temperature copper-oxide superconductors. We study materials that show a promotion of superconductivity, as well as coexisting and competing superconductivity. We measure the key determinants for the superconductivity and the charge-density-wave order. For the first time we will measure the evolution of the Fermi surface and electron-phonon coupling using high-pressure quantum oscillation studies. Our novel approach will shed light on the mechanism of both the charge-density-wave order and superconductivity in these materials and will guide theory on both superconductivity and charge-density-wave order and intriguing material properties caused by these.