Superconductivity Modulated by Quantum Size Effects
We have fabricated ultrathin lead films on silicon substrates with atomic-scale control of the thickness over a macroscopic area. We observed oscillatory behavior of the superconducting transition temperature when the film thickness was increased by one atomic layer at a time. This oscillating behav...
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Veröffentlicht in: | Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2004-12, Vol.306 (5703), p.1915-1917 |
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Hauptverfasser: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
Format: | Artikel |
Sprache: | eng |
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Zusammenfassung: | We have fabricated ultrathin lead films on silicon substrates with atomic-scale control of the thickness over a macroscopic area. We observed oscillatory behavior of the superconducting transition temperature when the film thickness was increased by one atomic layer at a time. This oscillating behavior was shown to be a manifestation of the Fabry-Pérot interference modes of electron de Broglie waves (quantum well states) in the films, which modulate the electron density of states near the Fermi level and the electron-phonon coupling, which are the two factors that control superconductivity transitions. This result suggests the possibility of modifying superconductivity and other physical properties of a thin film by exploiting well-controlled and thickness-dependent quantum size effects. |
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ISSN: | 0036-8075 1095-9203 |
DOI: | 10.1126/science.1105130 |