Spatio-temporal superconducting dynamics driven by THz fields from topological spintronic terahertz emitters

Area of Science:

• Condensed Matter Physics
• Metamaterials
• Terahertz (THz) Science and Technology

Background:

• Metastructures in spintronic terahertz (THz) emitters can be engineered with a defined topology and topological charge.
• The THz radiation emitted by these metastructures exhibits phase-locked transversal and longitudinal components, tunable by the topological charge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the use of engineered THz fields to drive and spatio-temporally modulate the superconducting order parameter in type II superconductors.
• To demonstrate how the topology of THz fields influences the texturing of superconducting phase and density.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a time-dependent Landau-Ginzburg approach for theoretical analysis.
• Performed full numerical simulations to observe phenomena in nanoscale superconducting samples.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated the emergence and nanoscale steering of Abrikosov vortices.
• Showcased local modification of superconducting density and transport properties in various nanoscale geometries.
• Confirmed the reflection of THz field topology in the texturing of superconducting phase and density.

Conclusions:

• Metamaterials based on spintronic THz emitters are a promising coherent source for spatially and vectorially modulated THz radiation.
• The topological charge of THz emitters offers a novel pathway for controlling superconductivity at the nanoscale.