Directly visualizing nematic superconductivity driven by the pair density wave in NbSe2

Lu Cao, Yucheng Xue, Yingbo Wang, Fu-Chun Zhang, Jian Kang, Hong-Jun Gao, Jinhai Mao () and Yuhang Jiang ()
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Lu Cao: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yucheng Xue: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yingbo Wang: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Fu-Chun Zhang: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jian Kang: ShanghaiTech University
Hong-Jun Gao: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jinhai Mao: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yuhang Jiang: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Pair density wave (PDW) is a distinct superconducting state characterized by a periodic modulation of its order parameter in real space. Its intricate interplay with the charge density wave (CDW) state is a continuing topic of interest in condensed matter physics. While PDW states have been discovered in cuprates and other unconventional superconductors, the understanding of diverse PDWs and their interactions with different types of CDWs remains limited. Here, utilizing scanning tunneling microscopy, we unveil the subtle correlations between PDW ground states and two distinct CDW phases — namely, anion-centered-CDW (AC-CDW) and hollow-centered-CDW (HC-CDW) — in 2H-NbSe2. In both CDW regions, we observe coexisting PDWs with a commensurate structure that aligns with the underlying CDW phase. The superconducting gap size, Δ(r), related to the pairing order parameter is in phase with the charge density in both CDW regions. Meanwhile, the coherence peak height, H(r), qualitatively reflecting the electron-pair density, exhibits a phase difference of approximately 2π/3 relative to the CDW. The three-fold rotational symmetry is preserved in the HC-CDW region but is spontaneously broken in the AC-CDW region due to the PDW state, leading to the emergence of nematic superconductivity.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51558-5

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