Gate-induced superconductivity in a monolayer topological insulator

Ebrahim Sajadi; Tauno Palomaki; Zaiyao Fei; Wenjin Zhao; Philip Bement; Christian Olsen; Silvia Luescher; Xiaodong Xu; Joshua A Folk; David H Cobden

doi:10.1126/science.aar4426

Gate-induced superconductivity in a monolayer topological insulator

Science. 2018 Nov 23;362(6417):922-925. doi: 10.1126/science.aar4426. Epub 2018 Oct 25.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada, and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada.
² Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
³ Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
⁴ Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada, and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada. [email protected] [email protected].
⁵ Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. [email protected] [email protected].

PMID: 30361385
DOI: 10.1126/science.aar4426

Abstract

The layered semimetal tungsten ditelluride (WTe₂) has recently been found to be a two-dimensional topological insulator (2D TI) when thinned down to a single monolayer, with conducting helical edge channels. We found that intrinsic superconductivity can be induced in this monolayer 2D TI by mild electrostatic doping at temperatures below 1 kelvin. The 2D TI-superconductor transition can be driven by applying a small gate voltage. This discovery offers possibilities for gate-controlled devices combining superconductivity and nontrivial topological properties, and could provide a basis for quantum information schemes based on topological protection.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.