Scanning SQUID Imaging of Reduced Superconductivity Due to the Effect of Chiral Molecule Islands Adsorbed on Nb

Abstract Unconventional superconductivity was realized in systems comprising a monolayer of magnetic adatoms adsorbed on conventional superconductors, forming Shiba‐bands. Another approach to induce unconventional superconductivity and 2D Shiba‐bands was recently introduced, namely, by adsorbing chi...

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Main Authors: Meital Ozeri, T.R. Devidas, Hen Alpern, Eylon Persky, Anders V. Bjorlig, Nir Sukenik, Shira Yochelis, Angelo Di Bernardo, Beena Kalisky, Oded Millo, Yossi Paltiel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley-VCH 2023-03-01
Series:Advanced Materials Interfaces
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.202201899
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Summary:Abstract Unconventional superconductivity was realized in systems comprising a monolayer of magnetic adatoms adsorbed on conventional superconductors, forming Shiba‐bands. Another approach to induce unconventional superconductivity and 2D Shiba‐bands was recently introduced, namely, by adsorbing chiral molecules (ChMs) on conventional superconductors, which act in a similar way to magnetic impurities as verified by conductance spectroscopy. However, the fundamental effect ChMs have on the strength of superconductivity has not yet been directly observed and mapped. In this work, local magnetic susceptometry is applied on heterostructures comprising islands of ChMs (α‐helix L‐polyalanine) monolayers adsorbed on Nb. It is found that the ChMs alter the superconducting landscape, resulting in spatially‐modulated weaker superconductivity. Surprisingly, the reduced diamagnetic response is located along the perimeter of the islands with respect to both their interior and the bare Nb. The authors suggest that topological edge‐states forming at the edges are the source of the reduced superconductivity, akin to the case of magnetic islands. The results pave new paths for the realization of topological‐superconductivity‐based devices with changing order parameter.
ISSN:2196-7350