High-Throughput Growth of Interface Superconductors
Abstract
Title: High-Throughput Growth of Interface SuperconductorsPrincipal Investigator: Jennifer Hoffman, Professor of Physics & Applied PhysicsInstitution: Harvard UniversityAgency: Office of Naval ResearchProgram Officer: Dr. Harold Scott CoombeDirectorate: Ship System and Engineering Research Division, code 331Research Problem: A superconductor is a material that can conduct electricity without loss, below a certain temperature Tc. Achieving superconductivity at room temperature would transform sectors ranging from energy to communication and healthcare. Increasing the maximum current Jcof these materials would further their applications in propulsion and transportation. A recent breakthrough showed that superconducting Tc can be increased by an order of magnitude, to above 100 K, at the interface between SrTiO3 (an oxide) and FeSe (a chalcogenide). Exploiting thisobservation for the realization of even higher Tc superconductivity in novel oxide-chalcogenide systems demands the development of high-throughput techniques to synthesize a broad selection of atomically-precise interfaces.Technical Approaches: Molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) is a technique to synthesize atomically precise layered materials and interfaces via evaporation of individual elements. We propose to augment two existing MBE systems for high-throughput growth of oxide and chalcogenide materials. We will double the number of element sources from 8 to 16, which increases the numberof accessible compounds by an order of magnitude. We will add in situ characterization via RHEED (reflection high-energy electron diffraction) to facilitate the rapid selection of optimal growth parameters. We will add more robust sample manipulators to facilitate transfer between MBE systems, and into additional microscope chambers for further electronic characterization.Anticipated Outcomes: Our primary objective is to discover higher-Tc and higher-Jc superconductors. The enhanced MBE systems are part of a larger collaborative effort using a suite of theoretical, synthesis, and characterization tools. Our program will develop the first coherent workflow for prediction and discovery of novel interface superconductors. We will develop acollection of computational methods, the first open-access materials-interface database, new materials synthesis methods for cleaner interfaces, and new imaging tools for rapid screening and understanding of superconducting materials, so that future teams can continue to build on our efforts for the discovery of novel electronic properties at interfaces. Impact on DoD Capabilities: DoD priorities include compact mechanisms for energy generationand storage, efficient conductors for high-power propulsion applications, metamaterials for signal transmission, detection, and cloaking, and Josephson junction arrays for microwave and electronic applications. Furthermore, a new type of ~topological superconductor~ could help make robust quantum computing a reality, including benefits ranging from code-breaking to accuratepredictions of new materials. Such technologies would improve both the daily lives and the strategic defenses of our nation. Devices have been proposed to achieve each of these aims, but all rely on properties of superconducting materials that have not yet been discovered or optimized. Our primary objective is to discover these superconductors, to bring new technologies to fruition.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 20, 2019
- Source ID
- N000141912622
Entities
People
- Jennifer E. Hoffman
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- President and Fellows of Harvard College
- United States Navy