Proximity-Induced Superconductivity with Subgap Anomaly in Type II Weyl Semi-Metal WTe2

Nano Lett. 2018 Dec 12;18(12):7962-7968. doi: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.8b03924. Epub 2018 Nov 12.

Abstract

Due to the nontrivial topological band structure in type II Weyl semi-metal tungsten ditelluride (WTe2), unconventional properties may emerge in its superconducting phase. While realizing intrinsic superconductivity has been challenging in the type II Weyl semi-metal WTe2, the proximity effect may open an avenue for the realization of superconductivity. Here, we report the observation of proximity-induced superconductivity with a long coherence length along the c axis in WTe2 thin flakes based on a WTe2/NbSe2 van der Waals heterostructure. Interestingly, we also observe anomalous oscillations of the differential resistance during the transition from the superconducting to the normal state. Theoretical calculations show excellent agreement with experimental results, revealing that such a subgap anomaly is the intrinsic property of WTe2 in superconducting state induced by the proximity effect. Our findings enrich the understanding of the superconducting phase of type II Weyl semi-metals and pave the way for their future applications in topological quantum computing.

Keywords: WTe2; proximity effect; subgap anomaly; superconductivity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't