The transition-metal-dichalcogenide family as a superconductor tuned by charge density wave strength

Shahar Simon, Hennadii Yerzhakov, Sajilesh K. P, Atzmon Vakahi, Sergei Remennik, Jonathan Ruhman, Maxim Khodas, Oded Millo, Hadar Steinberg*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

In metallic transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), which remain superconducting down to single-layer thickness, the critical temperature Tc decreases for Nb-based, and increases for Ta-based materials. This contradicting trend is puzzling, impeding the development of a unified theory. Here we study the thickness-evolution of superconducting tunneling spectra in TaS2heterostructures. The upper critical field Hc2 is strongly enhanced towards the single-layer limit – following Hc2∝Tc2. The same ratio holds for the entire family of intrinsically metallic 2H-TMDs, covering 4 orders of magnitude in Hc2. Using Gor’kov’s theory, we calculate the suppression of Tc by the competing charge density wave (CDW) order, which affects the quasiparticle density of states and the resulting Tc and Hc2. The latter is found to be universally enhanced by two orders of magnitude. Our results substantiate CDW as the key determinant factor limiting Tc across the TMD family.

Original languageEnglish
Article number10439
JournalNature Communications
Volume15
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2024

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© The Author(s) 2024.

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