Anomalous thickness dependence of the vortex pearl length in few-layer NbSe2

Nofar Fridman (), Tomer Daniel Feld, Avia Noah, Ayelet Zalic, Maya Markman, T. R. Devidas, Yishay Zur, Einav Grynszpan, Alon Gutfreund, Itai Keren, Atzmon Vakahi, Sergei Remennik, Kenji Watanabe, Takashi Taniguchi, Martin Emile Huber, Igor Aleiner, Hadar Steinberg, Oded Agam () and Yonathan Anahory ()
Additional contact information
Nofar Fridman: The Hebrew University
Tomer Daniel Feld: The Hebrew University
Avia Noah: The Hebrew University
Ayelet Zalic: The Hebrew University
Maya Markman: The Hebrew University
T. R. Devidas: The Hebrew University
Yishay Zur: The Hebrew University
Einav Grynszpan: The Hebrew University
Alon Gutfreund: The Hebrew University
Itai Keren: The Hebrew University
Atzmon Vakahi: Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Sergei Remennik: Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Kenji Watanabe: National Institute for Materials Science
Takashi Taniguchi: National Institute for Materials Science
Martin Emile Huber: University of Colorado Denver
Igor Aleiner: Google Quantum AI
Hadar Steinberg: The Hebrew University
Oded Agam: The Hebrew University
Yonathan Anahory: The Hebrew University

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract The coexistence of multiple types of orders is a common thread in condensed matter physics and unconventional superconductors. The nature of superconducting orders may be unveiled by analyzing local perturbations such as vortices. For thin films, the vortex magnetic profile is characterized by the Pearl-length $$\Lambda$$ Λ , which is inversely proportional to the 2D superfluid density; hence, normally, also inversely proportional to the film thickness, $$d$$ d . Here we employ the scanning SQUID-on-tip microscopy to measure $$\Lambda$$ Λ in NbSe2 flakes with thicknesses ranging from $$N=3$$ N = 3 to $$53$$ 53 layers. For $$N\, > \,10$$ N > 10 , we find the expected dependence $$\Lambda \propto 1/d$$ Λ ∝ 1 / d . However, six-layer films show a sharp increase of $$\Lambda$$ Λ deviating by a factor of three from the expected value. This value remains fixed for $$N=3$$ N = 3 to $$6$$ 6 . This unexpected behavior suggests the competition between two orders; one residing only on the first and last layers of the film while the other prevails in all layers.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57817-3

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