Nanotechnology Now

Our NanoNews Digest Sponsors
Heifer International



Home > Press > NbSe2, a true 2-D superconductor

Atomically resolved STM image of the NbSe2 surface showing CDW modulation.
CREDIT: CIC nanoGUNE
Atomically resolved STM image of the NbSe2 surface showing CDW modulation.

CREDIT: CIC nanoGUNE

Abstract:
Very few 2D superconductors exist in nature, and single-layer NbSe2 is the first among them that remains a superconductor in its isolated, 2D form without the need of a special substrate. Furthermore, CDW order - spatial modulation of both the electron density and the atomic lattice (see figure below) - has been revealed to be a genuine 2D electronic phenomenon in NbSe2. This work has been recently reported in Nature Physics.

NbSe2, a true 2-D superconductor

Usurbil, Spain | Posted on November 5th, 2015

Many-body interactions in solids are at the core of stunning collective electronic phenomena such as CDW order and superconductivity, which are found to exist in some TMD metals in their 3D bulk form. In reduced dimensions, materials usually exhibit remarkable differences in their properties with respect to their 3D bulk counterparts due to quantum confinement effects. In bulk NbSe2 a CDW sets in at TCDW = 33 K and superconductivity sets in at Tc = 7.2 K. Below 7.2 K these electronic states coexist but their microscopic formation mechanisms in bulk remain controversial after nearly four decades of intense research. Furthermore, the fate of its CDW and superconducting phases in the ultimate single-layer limit has also remained mysterious until now. Writing in Nature Physics, the team has characterized the electronic structure of a single layer of NbSe2 directly grown on graphene, which experimentally confirms that NbSe2 undergoes a reduction in the number of electronic bands involved in its collective phases (from three bands in bulk NbSe2 to just one for single-layer NbSe2). Despite significant changes in NbSe2 electronic structure upon dimensional reduction, the authors show that - in stark contrast to recent theoretical predictions - the CDW phase of single-layer NbSe2 remains unaffected when the material is thinned down to the single-layer limit. The robust 2D character of the CDW in NbSe2 enables to experimentally rule out two well-known mechanisms proposed to explain the origin of the CDW in NbSe2. On the contrary to the CDW phase, the material remains a superconductor although with a critical temperature TC = 1.9 K, a significant departure from the behavior of bulk NbSe2 (TC = 7.2 K).

In summary, these results paint a clear picture of the effects of reduced dimensionality on the CDW and superconducting phases of a model strongly correlated system. This creates exciting new opportunities for directly exploring the interplay between superconductivity and other competing collective phases in 2D.

####

For more information, please click here

Contacts:
Irati Kortabitarte

34-943-363-040

Copyright © Elhuyar Fundazioa

If you have a comment, please Contact us.

Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.

Bookmark:
Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo Reddit Magnoliacom Furl Facebook

Related News Press

News and information

Researchers develop artificial building blocks of life March 8th, 2024

How surface roughness influences the adhesion of soft materials: Research team discovers universal mechanism that leads to adhesion hysteresis in soft materials March 8th, 2024

Two-dimensional bimetallic selenium-containing metal-organic frameworks and their calcinated derivatives as electrocatalysts for overall water splitting March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

Physics

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Optically trapped quantum droplets of light can bind together to form macroscopic complexes March 8th, 2024

Scientists use heat to create transformations between skyrmions and antiskyrmions January 12th, 2024

Focused ion beam technology: A single tool for a wide range of applications January 12th, 2024

Superconductivity

Optically trapped quantum droplets of light can bind together to form macroscopic complexes March 8th, 2024

Chip Technology

New chip opens door to AI computing at light speed February 16th, 2024

HKUST researchers develop new integration technique for efficient coupling of III-V and silicon February 16th, 2024

Electrons screen against conductivity-killer in organic semiconductors: The discovery is the first step towards creating effective organic semiconductors, which use significantly less water and energy, and produce far less waste than their inorganic counterparts February 16th, 2024

NRL discovers two-dimensional waveguides February 16th, 2024

Discoveries

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

Researchers’ approach may protect quantum computers from attacks March 8th, 2024

High-tech 'paint' could spare patients repeated surgeries March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Materials/Metamaterials/Magnetoresistance

How surface roughness influences the adhesion of soft materials: Research team discovers universal mechanism that leads to adhesion hysteresis in soft materials March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Focused ion beam technology: A single tool for a wide range of applications January 12th, 2024

Catalytic combo converts CO2 to solid carbon nanofibers: Tandem electrocatalytic-thermocatalytic conversion could help offset emissions of potent greenhouse gas by locking carbon away in a useful material January 12th, 2024

Announcements

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

The Access to Advanced Health Institute receives up to $12.7 million to develop novel nanoalum adjuvant formulation for better protection against tuberculosis and pandemic influenza March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Interviews/Book Reviews/Essays/Reports/Podcasts/Journals/White papers/Posters

Researchers develop artificial building blocks of life March 8th, 2024

How surface roughness influences the adhesion of soft materials: Research team discovers universal mechanism that leads to adhesion hysteresis in soft materials March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Quantum nanoscience

Optically trapped quantum droplets of light can bind together to form macroscopic complexes March 8th, 2024

Bridging light and electrons January 12th, 2024

'Sudden death' of quantum fluctuations defies current theories of superconductivity: Study challenges the conventional wisdom of superconducting quantum transitions January 12th, 2024

Physicists ‘entangle’ individual molecules for the first time, hastening possibilities for quantum information processing: In work that could lead to more robust quantum computing, Princeton researchers have succeeded in forcing molecules into quantum entanglement December 8th, 2023

NanoNews-Digest
The latest news from around the world, FREE




  Premium Products
NanoNews-Custom
Only the news you want to read!
 Learn More
NanoStrategies
Full-service, expert consulting
 Learn More











ASP
Nanotechnology Now Featured Books




NNN

The Hunger Project