Superconductivity at Interfaces in Cuprate-Manganite Superlattices

One of the unsolved problems for using high-T_c superconducting cuprates for spintronic applications are the short coherence lengths of Cooper pairs in oxides (a few Å), which requires atomically sharp and defect-free interfaces. This research demonstrates the presence of high-T_c superconducting La_1.84 Sr_0.16 CuO₄ in direct proximity to SrLaMnO₄ and provides evidence for the sharpness of interfaces between the cuprate and the manganite layers at the atomic scale. These findings shed light on the impact of the chemical potential at the interface of distinct materials on highly sensitive physical properties, such as superconductivity. Additionally, this results show the high stability of ultrathin layers from the same K₂ NiF₄ -type family, specifically one unit cell of Sr_{2- x} La_x MnO₄ and three unit cells of La_1.84 Sr_0.16 CuO₄ . This work advances both the fundamental understanding of the proximity region between superconducting cuprates and manganite phases and the potential use of oxide-based materials in quantum computing.