Intrinsic surface p-wave superconductivity in layered AuSn4

Wenliang Zhu, Rui Song, Jierui Huang, Qi-Wei Wang, Yuan Cao, Runqing Zhai, Qi Bian, Zhibin Shao, Hongmei Jing, Lujun Zhu, Yuefei Hou, Yu-Hang Gao, Shaojian Li, Fawei Zheng, Ping Zhang (), Mojun Pan, Junde Liu, Gexing Qu, Yadong Gu, Hao Zhang, Qinxin Dong, Yifei Huang, Xiaoxia Yuan, Junbao He, Gang Li, Tian Qian (), Genfu Chen (), Shao-Chun Li (), Minghu Pan () and Qi-Kun Xue ()
Additional contact information
Wenliang Zhu: Shaanxi Normal University
Rui Song: Science and Technology on Surface Physics and Chemistry Laboratory
Jierui Huang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Qi-Wei Wang: Nanjing University
Yuan Cao: Shaanxi Normal University
Runqing Zhai: Shaanxi Normal University
Qi Bian: Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Zhibin Shao: Shaanxi Normal University
Hongmei Jing: Shaanxi Normal University
Lujun Zhu: Shaanxi Normal University
Yuefei Hou: Institute of Applied Physics and Computational Mathematics
Yu-Hang Gao: Nanjing University
Shaojian Li: Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Fawei Zheng: Institute of Applied Physics and Computational Mathematics
Ping Zhang: Institute of Applied Physics and Computational Mathematics
Mojun Pan: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Junde Liu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Gexing Qu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yadong Gu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Hao Zhang: Shaanxi Normal University
Qinxin Dong: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yifei Huang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Xiaoxia Yuan: Shaanxi Applied Physics and Chemistry Research Institute
Junbao He: Nanyang Normal University
Gang Li: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Tian Qian: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Genfu Chen: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Shao-Chun Li: Nanjing University
Minghu Pan: Shaanxi Normal University
Qi-Kun Xue: Tsinghua University

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract The search for topological superconductivity (TSC) is currently an exciting pursuit, since non-trivial topological superconducting phases could host exotic Majorana modes. However, the difficulty in fabricating proximity-induced TSC heterostructures, the sensitivity to disorder and stringent topological restrictions of intrinsic TSC place serious limitations and formidable challenges on the materials and related applications. Here, we report a new type of intrinsic TSC, namely intrinsic surface topological superconductivity (IS-TSC) and demonstrate it in layered AuSn4 with Tc of 2.4 K. Different in-plane and out-of-plane upper critical fields reflect a two-dimensional (2D) character of superconductivity. The two-fold symmetric angular dependences of both magneto-transport and the zero-bias conductance peak (ZBCP) in point-contact spectroscopy (PCS) in the superconducting regime indicate an unconventional pairing symmetry of AuSn4. The superconducting gap and surface multi-bands with Rashba splitting at the Fermi level (EF), in conjunction with first-principle calculations, strongly suggest that 2D unconventional SC in AuSn4 originates from the mixture of p-wave surface and s-wave bulk contributions, which leads to a two-fold symmetric superconductivity. Our results provide an exciting paradigm to realize TSC via Rashba effect on surface superconducting bands in layered materials.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42781-7

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