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Tunable unconventional kagome superconductivity in charge ordered RbV3Sb5 and KV3Sb5.
Z Guguchia1, C Mielke2, D Das2
1Laboratory for Muon Spin Spectroscopy, Paul Scherrer Institute, CH-5232, Villigen PSI, Switzerland. zurab.guguchia@psi.ch.
Nature Communications
|January 11, 2023
Summary
Researchers uncovered unconventional superconductivity in kagome metals RbV3Sb5 and KV3Sb5. Applying pressure tunes the superconducting state from nodal to nodeless, revealing a time-reversal symmetry-breaking pairing state.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science
- Quantum Materials
Background:
- Unconventional superconductors often exhibit competing orders and nodal pairing.
- Kagome metals AV3Sb5 are candidates for unusual superconductivity, but direct evidence was lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the unconventional superconductivity in RbV3Sb5 and KV3Sb5 using pressure tuning.
- To elucidate the interplay between charge order and superconductivity in these materials.
Main Methods:
- Muon spin spectroscopy (µSR) at ultra-low temperatures and varying pressures.
- Spectroscopic analysis of charge order and superconducting states.
Main Results:
- Observed time-reversal symmetry breaking charge order in RbV3Sb5 below 110 K and 50 K.
- Identified a nodal superconducting gap and reduced superfluid density at ambient pressure, linked to charge order competition.
- Demonstrated suppression of charge order and enhancement of superfluid density under pressure.
- Revealed a transition from nodal to nodeless superconductivity with increasing pressure.
- Discovered a fully gapped, time-reversal symmetry-breaking superconducting state at optimal pressure.
Conclusions:
- Superconductivity in RbV3Sb5 and KV3Sb5 is unconventional, tunable by pressure, and competes with charge order.
- The study provides insights into tunable nodal kagome superconductivity and time-reversal symmetry-breaking phenomena.
- Results offer a new platform for exploring exotic superconducting states.
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