Project description DEENESFRITPL Study probes the unconventional superconductivity of bismuth at ultralow temperatures The discovery of bismuth superconductivity at extremely low temperatures (below 0.53 mK) has stirred up significant interest amongst theoretical physicists. This brittle reddish-grey metal had been dismissed as a possible superconductor because it has a small carrier density. Funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the UCSMT project is planning to further understanding of this unconventional superconductivity in bismuth and in a canonical heavy-fermion metal made from ytterbium, rhodium and silicon. For their study, the project team will develop new measurement techniques tailored to the microkelvin regime. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective A new frontier is the investigation of quantum materials under the extreme conditions of ultralow temperatures. Its exploration requires the refinement of existing high sensitivity, low dissipation measurement techniques, the development of new ones, and access to ultralow temperature platforms. Quantum materials host a variety of exotic quantum phases, arising from interactions and the effects of strong correlations. An important example is the emergent unconventional superconductivity in heavy fermion systems when tuned by some control parameter to a quantum critical point. This project combines my expertise with the expertise, facilities and instrumentation of the host group. I will investigate two important unconventional superconductors in this regime, YbRh2Si2 and Bismuth, using high quality single crystal samples. YbRh2Si2 is a prototype quantum critical, heavy fermion metal with a field-tuned quantum critical point. Magnetic measurements on high quality single crystal samples at the lowest fields find evidence for superconductivity. I will address the nature of this superconductivity, the role of quantum criticality, the interplay of electro-nuclear magnetism, and the use of strain as a tuning parameter in this system. This will be done through electrical and thermal transport measurements, investigating their crystalline anisotropy, as well as heat capacity studies. In each case I will exploit new methods tailored for this temperature regime. This work will be coupled with studies of the Meissner effect and anisotropy of the critical field. The recent discovery of superconductivity in Bismuth, a system with very low carrier density, below 0.53 mK has provoked significant theoretical interest in the pairing mechanism. The first transport measurements will be performed on this system. The project will advance the understanding of unconventional superconductivity, and contribute to the strategy to study quantum materials into the microkelvin regime. Fields of science natural sciencesphysical sciencestheoretical physicsparticle physicsfermionsnatural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrypost-transition metalsnatural sciencesphysical scienceselectromagnetism and electronicssuperconductivity Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2018 - Individual Fellowships Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2018 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF Coordinator ROYAL HOLLOWAY AND BEDFORD NEW COLLEGE Net EU contribution € 224 933,76 Address EGHAM HILL UNIVERSITY OF LONDON TW20 0EX Egham United Kingdom See on map Region South East (England) Surrey, East and West Sussex West Surrey Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 224 933,76
