Institute of Experimental Physics
Topic
Spectroscopic study of 2D superconductors and sandwich heterostructures
PhD. program
Condensed matter physics
Year of admission
2025
Name of the supervisor
Mgr. Pavol Szabó, CSc.
Contact:
Receiving school
Faculty of Science, P.J. Safarik University
Annotation
Ultralow temperatures have become an important tool for new research avenues in nanoscience, materials research and particularly in quantum nanotechnologies. Scaling down a physical system towards the sizes when the quantum properties surpass classical physics opens a plethora of new quantum-driven effects, thus giving rise to new classes of quantum materials. Within the thesis we will focus our study on low-dimensional quantum devices, heterostrucures consisting of atomically thin superconducting slabs and aditional layers with different order (inslulator, metal, ferromagnet). In such systems symmetries can be broken possibly allowing for non trivial topological quantum states relevant for future technologies. Atomically thin layered materials are systems with zero limit bulk-to-surface ratio. Their physical properties are strongly affected by interfacing with other systems. Therefore, they represent an accessible platform for the abundance of quantum effects that can be engineered by combining them into vertical stacks using exfoliation techniques. In the framework of this thesis, we will prepare sandwich nanostructures of different 2D materials, and characterize them by transport and STM experiments at very low temperatures. We will also focus on the characterization of bulk samples with broken symmetry.
Literature:
[1] K. Jin, et al., Assembly of Arbitrary Designer Heterostructures with Atomically Clean Interfaces, Adv. Mater. Interfaces 2300658 (2023).
[2] M. Kuzmiak, et al., Disorder- and magnetic field–tuned fermionic superconductor-insulator transition in MoN thin films: Transport and scanning tunneling microscopy, Phys. Rev. B 108, 184511 (2023).
[3] A. Pálinkás, et al., Novel graphene/Sn and graphene/SnOx hybrid nanostructures: induced superconductivity and band gaps revealed by scanning probe measurements,
Carbon 124 (2017), 611.
Literature:
[1] K. Jin, et al., Assembly of Arbitrary Designer Heterostructures with Atomically Clean Interfaces, Adv. Mater. Interfaces 2300658 (2023).
[2] M. Kuzmiak, et al., Disorder- and magnetic field–tuned fermionic superconductor-insulator transition in MoN thin films: Transport and scanning tunneling microscopy, Phys. Rev. B 108, 184511 (2023).
[3] A. Pálinkás, et al., Novel graphene/Sn and graphene/SnOx hybrid nanostructures: induced superconductivity and band gaps revealed by scanning probe measurements,
Carbon 124 (2017), 611.