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Fabricating van der Waals Heterostructures with Precise Rotational Alignment
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Tuning the Proximity Effect through Interface Engineering in a Pb/Graphene/Pt Trilayer System.
Xiangmin Fei1, Wende Xiao1, Kai Yang1
1Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory for Nanomaterials and Nanodevices , P.O. Box 603, Beijing 100190, China.
ACS Nano
|April 2, 2016
Summary
Graphene layers can tune superconductivity in nanoscale films by dampening proximity effects. Atomic-scale control over these effects influences superconducting properties, demonstrating graphene
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Superconductivity in nanoscale films is sensitive to environmental factors like substrate proximity effects.
- These effects are critical when film thickness is less than the superconducting coherent length.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate atomic-scale tuning of proximity effects using graphene as an interfacial layer.
- To understand how graphene influences the superconductivity of adjacent nanoscale islands.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and spectroscopy (STS).
- Fabricating nanoscale lead (Pb) islands on a platinum (Pt(111)) substrate with an intervening single-layer graphene.
Main Results:
- A single atomic layer of graphene dampens the coupling between normal metal electrons and superconductor Cooper pairs by an order of magnitude.
- Superconducting properties of Pb islands are significantly modulated by graphene's moiré patterns, influenced by graphene-substrate interactions.
Conclusions:
- Atomic-scale graphene insertion provides precise control over proximity effects in nanoscale superconductors.
- Graphene-substrate coupling intricately affects the superconducting behavior of overlayer materials, opening avenues for novel superconducting device design.
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