Multiphase superconductivity in PdBi2
Author Information
Author(s): Lewis Powell, Wenjun Kuang, Gabriel Hawkins-Pottier, Rashid Jalil, John Birkbeck, Ziyi Jiang, Minsoo Kim, Yichao Zou, Sofiia Komrakova, Sarah Haigh, Ivan Timokhin, Geetha Balakrishnan, Andre K. Geim, Niels Walet, Alessandro Principi, Irina V. Grigorieva
Primary Institution: University of Manchester
Hypothesis
Can a magnetic field induce a phase transition in the superconducting state of β-PdBi2?
Conclusion
The study found that a magnetic field can induce a transition from conventional s-wave to nodal pairing in β-PdBi2.
Supporting Evidence
- The study observed a marked discontinuity in superconducting properties with increasing magnetic field.
- Theoretical analysis suggested that the phase transition may arise from spin polarization and spin-momentum locking.
- Previous experiments indicated only a single s-wave gap could be detected in β-PdBi2.
Takeaway
Scientists discovered that when they applied a magnetic field to a special material called β-PdBi2, it changed how it conducts electricity, switching from one type of behavior to another.
Methodology
The researchers used tunnelling spectroscopy on thin PdBi2 monocrystals and resistance measurements to study the superconducting properties under magnetic fields.
Limitations
The study was limited to a specific range of crystal thicknesses and did not explore thinner crystals due to difficulties in exfoliation.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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