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UNCONVENTIONAL SUPERCONDUCTIVITY FROM A MOTT INSULATING PARENT MATERIAL

Objective

The mystery of unconventional superconductivity is one that is yet to be solved after decades of research. Better superconductors will have a crucial role in improved energy efficient applications such as power storage and transmission. While the highest temperature superconductors to date are the copper oxide family of antiferromagnetic Mott insulators, the origin of unconventional superconductivity in these materials remains mysterious. Furthermore, there are strikingly few other examples where unconventional superconductivity emerges from Mott insulating materials. In this project we adopt a two-pronged approach to find unconventional superconductivity and potentially novel quantum spin liquid phases in new classes of Mott insulating materials, and to understand the nature of the normal state out of which superconductivity develops in the family of copper oxide superconductors. In the first part of the project, multiple spin-orbit coupled Mott insulating materials will be tuned to induce superconductivity and / or an unconventional quantum spin liquid phase, and a roadmap relating materials properties to emergent unconventional superconductivity developed. In the second part of the project, we will aim to better understand the normal state out of which superconductivity emerges in cuprate superconductors by a study of the nature of Fermi surface evolution from a the small Fermi surface in the underdoped regime to a large Fermi surface in the overdoped regime, potentially via a quantum critical point underlying the superconducting dome. Our findings are anticipated to have important implications for the creation of newer and better superconductors.

Call for proposal

ERC-2013-StG
See other projects for this call

Host institution

THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
EU contribution
€ 1 703 253,00
Address
TRINITY LANE THE OLD SCHOOLS
CB2 1TN Cambridge
United Kingdom

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Region
East of England East Anglia Cambridgeshire CC
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Principal investigator
Suchitra Esther Sebastian (Dr.)
Administrative Contact
Renata Schaeffer (Ms.)
Links
Total cost
No data

Beneficiaries (1)