Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 14, 2026
05:39
Scalable Quantum Integrated Circuits on Superconducting Two-Dimensional Electron Gas Platform
Published on: August 2, 2019
Tailoring Superconductivity with Two-Level Systems
Joshuah T Heath1,2, Alexander C Tyner1,2, S Pamir Alpay3,4
1KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm University, Nordita, Hannes Alfvéns väg 12, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
Physical Review Letters
|June 12, 2026
Summary
Two-level systems (TLSs) can enhance or suppress superconductivity by altering the critical temperature and superconducting gap. Engineering TLS properties offers new ways to tailor superconducting materials like aluminum.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Superconductivity is a quantum mechanical phenomenon with critical temperature (Tc) and superconducting gap (Δ) as key properties.
- Defects and localized modes can significantly influence superconducting properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of two-level systems (TLSs) on superconductivity.
- To understand how TLSs affect the critical temperature and superconducting gap.
- To explore the potential for TLS engineering in tailoring superconducting materials.
Main Methods:
- Modeling two-level systems (TLSs) as soft modes localized in real space.
- Quantitative analysis using thin-film aluminum as a case study.
- Investigating the dependence of TLS impact on surface density and average frequency.
Main Results:
- Two-level systems (TLSs) can either enhance or suppress the superconducting critical temperature (Tc).
- The effect of TLSs on Tc and the zero-temperature superconducting gap (Δ) is dependent on their surface density and average frequency.
- Quantitative description of TLS influence on Tc and Δ in thin-film aluminum.
Conclusions:
- TLSs are crucial defects that can be engineered to tune superconducting properties.
- TLS engineering presents new avenues for developing advanced superconducting materials.
- The findings provide a framework for understanding and controlling superconductivity through defect manipulation.
More Related Videos
04:51Comparison of Two Different Synthesis Methods of Single Crystals of Superconducting Uranium Ditelluride
Published on: July 8, 2021
09:06Visualizing Uniaxial-strain Manipulation of Antiferromagnetic Domains in Fe1+YTe Using a Spin-polarized Scanning Tunneling Microscope
Published on: March 24, 2019
Related Concept Videos
01:28Types Of Superconductors
A superconductor is a substance that offers zero resistance to the electric current when it drops below a critical temperature. Zero resistance is not the only interesting phenomenon as materials reach their transition temperatures. A second effect is the exclusion of magnetic fields. This is known as the Meissner effect. A light, permanent magnet placed over a superconducting sample will levitate in a stable position above the superconductor. High-speed trains that levitate on strong...
01:24Superconductor
A substance that reaches superconductivity, a state in which magnetic fields cannot penetrate, and there is no electrical resistance, is referred to as a superconductor. In 1911, Heike Kamerlingh Onnes of Leiden University, a Dutch physicist, observed a relation between the temperature and the resistance of the element mercury. The mercury sample was then cooled in liquid helium to study the linear dependence of resistance on temperature. It was observed that, as the temperature decreased, the...
01:17Theory of Metallic Conduction
The conduction of free electrons inside a conductor is best described by quantum mechanics. However, a classical model makes predictions close to the results of quantum mechanics. It is called the theory of metallic conduction.
In this theory, Newton's second law of motion is used to determine the acceleration of an electron in the presence of an applied electric field. Then, its velocity is expressed via this acceleration.
An electron moves through the crystal, containing positive ions,...
In this theory, Newton's second law of motion is used to determine the acceleration of an electron in the presence of an applied electric field. Then, its velocity is expressed via this acceleration.
An electron moves through the crystal, containing positive ions,...
01:18Fermi Level
The Fermi-Dirac function is represented by an S-shaped curve indicating the probability of an energy state being occupied by an electron at a given temperature. The Fermi level is the energy level at which there is a fifty percent chance of finding an electron, and it is positioned between the lower-energy valence band and the higher-energy conduction band.
At absolute zero temperature, electrons fill all energy states up to the Fermi level, leaving upper states empty. As the temperature rises,...
At absolute zero temperature, electrons fill all energy states up to the Fermi level, leaving upper states empty. As the temperature rises,...
01:12Fermi Level Dynamics
The vacuum level denotes the energy threshold required for an electron to escape from a material surface. It is usually positioned above the conduction band of a semiconductor and acts as a benchmark for comparing electron energies within various materials.
Electron affinity in semiconductors refers to the energy gap between the minimum of its conduction band and the vacuum level and it is a critical parameter in determining how easily a semiconductor can accept additional electrons.
The work...
Electron affinity in semiconductors refers to the energy gap between the minimum of its conduction band and the vacuum level and it is a critical parameter in determining how easily a semiconductor can accept additional electrons.
The work...
01:27Biasing of Metal-Semiconductor Junctions
Biasing metal-semiconductor junctions involves applying a voltage across the junction. Specifically, the metal is connected to a voltage source, while the semiconductor is grounded. This technique is essential for controlling the direction and magnitude of current flow in electronic devices, including diodes, transistors, and photovoltaic cells.
In Schottky junctions, where the semiconductor is n-type, applying a positive voltage to the metal relative to the semiconductor reduces its Fermi...
In Schottky junctions, where the semiconductor is n-type, applying a positive voltage to the metal relative to the semiconductor reduces its Fermi...