Descripción del proyecto
El grafeno podría aportar materiales superconductores a temperatura ambiente
Desde su descubrimiento, el grafeno ha fascinado a los científicos por su extraño entramado bidimensional de carbono puro y por los principios físicos que lo rigen. Un estudio reciente y revolucionario muestra que el grafeno trenzado en dos capas puede contener regiones capaces de alternar —a temperatura ambiente— entre el aislamiento y la superconductividad. Sin embargo, el proceso por el que esto se produce sigue siendo un misterio; de averiguarse, la información podría ayudar a los científicos a diseñar materiales capaces de conducir la electricidad con resistencia nula a temperatura ambiente. El proyecto financiado con fondos europeos SuperTwist ayudará a resolver el enigma de la superconductividad del grafeno mediante un método experimental para revelar su característica más importante, conocida como el parámetro de orden superconductor. Se trata de una cantidad compleja que no se puede definir con un solo método experimental, así que los investigadores combinarán conocimientos de diferentes disciplinas, lo que incluye la ciencia de materiales y la metrología.
Objetivo
It is widely believed that the development of room temperature superconductivity is one of biggest challenges of modern physics and will lead to a technological revolution. However, a detailed understanding of how high temperature superconductivity arises in unconventional superconductors has to this day eluded scientists. This year, in a breakthrough discovery, scientists have found superconductivity in a radically new compound, which has a strikingly similar phenomenology to most unconventional superconductors – “magic” angle bilayer graphene. As graphene crystals are ultra-clean, highly tuneable and its parent state is well understood, I strongly believe that the study of these compounds will cause a long awaited revolution in the comprehension of unconventional superconductivity.
In this project I will uncover the nature of superconductivity in “magic” angle graphene, by experimentally revealing its defining aspect – the superconducting order parameter. While no experimental method alone can definitely define the order parameter and since key experimental techniques are unavailable for these truly nano-scale materials, I will implement a radically new, multidisciplinary approach between material science and the development of disruptive measurement techniques. To achieve this ambitious goal, my truly unique background is essential, which includes van der Waals engineering, quantum transport, microwave engineering and quantum optics. I will employ these versatile skills to (i) develop robust procedures to engineer novel van der Waals hetero-structures of “magic” angle graphene to manipulate its phonons, impurities and magnetic correlations, (ii) perform Josephson interferometry and tunnelling experiments to
investigate its macroscopic phase, spin state and excitation spectrum, (iii) develop novel thermal transport and specific heat techniques to investigate the size and nodal structure of its superconducting gap.
Ámbito científico
- engineering and technologynanotechnologynano-materialstwo-dimensional nanostructuresgraphene
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesatomic physics
- social sciencespolitical sciencespolitical transitionsrevolutions
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesquantum physicsquantum optics
- natural sciencesphysical scienceselectromagnetism and electronicssuperconductivity
Programa(s)
Régimen de financiación
ERC-STG - Starting GrantInstitución de acogida
80539 Muenchen
Alemania