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Controllable superconducting to semiconducting phase transition in topological superconductor 2M-WS2


Abstract The investigation of exotic properties in two-dimensional (2D) topological superconductors has garnered increasing attention in condensed matter physics, particularly for applications in topological qubits. Despite this interest, a reliable way of fabricating topological Josephson junctions (JJs) utilizing topological superconductors has yet to be demonstrated. Controllable structural phase transition presents a unique approach to achieving topological JJs in atomically thin 2D topological superconductors. In this work, we report the pioneering demonstration of a structural phase transition from the superconducting to the semiconducting phase in the 2D topological superconductor 2M-WS 2 . We reveal that the metastable 2M phase of WS 2 remains stable in ambient conditions but transitions to the 2H phase when subjected to temperatures above 150 °C. We further locally induced the 2H phase within 2M-WS 2 nanolayers using laser irradiation. Notably, the 2H phase region exhibits a hexagonal shape, and scanning tunneling microscopy uncovers an atomically sharp crystal structural transition between the 2H and 2M phase regions. Moreover, the 2M to 2H phase transition can be induced at the nanometer scale by a 200 kV electron beam. The electrical transport measurements further confirmed the superconductivity of the pristine 2M-WS 2 and the semiconducting behavior of the laser-irradiated 2M-WS 2 . Our results establish a novel approach for controllable topological phase change in 2D topological superconductors, significantly impacting the development of atomically scaled planar topological JJs.
Authors Sandeep Gautam University of WyomingORCID , Joseph McBride University of Wyoming , William R. Scougale University of Wyoming , Piumi Samarawickrama University of Wyoming , Danilo de Camargo Branco ORCID , Yang Pan ORCID , Zhuangen Fu University of WyomingORCID , Wenyong Wang University of WyomingORCID , Jinke Tang University of WyomingORCID , Gary J. Cheng ORCID , John Ackerman University of Wyoming , TeYu Chien University of WyomingORCID , Brian M. Leonard ORCID , Jifa Tian University of WyomingORCID
Journal Info IOP Publishing | 2D Materials , vol: 11 , iss: 1 , pages: 015018 - 015018
Publication Date 12/11/2023
ISSN 2053-1583
TypeKeyword Image article
Open Access closed Closed Access
DOI https://doi.org/10.1088/2053-1583/ad10bb
KeywordsKeyword Image Two-Dimensional Materials (Score: 0.527545) , Transparent Conductors (Score: 0.526695) , Topological Insulators (Score: 0.512785) , Superconductors (Score: 0.506317)