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3D strain-induced superconductivity in La2CuO4+δ using a simple vertically aligned nanocomposite approach.

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Change log

Abstract

A long-term goal for superconductors is to increase the superconducting transition temperature, T C. In cuprates, T C depends strongly on the out-of-plane Cu-apical oxygen distance and the in-plane Cu-O distance, but there has been little attention paid to tuning them independently. Here, in simply grown, self-assembled, vertically aligned nanocomposite thin films of La2CuO4+δ + LaCuO3, by strongly increasing out-of-plane distances without reducing in-plane distances (three-dimensional strain engineering), we achieve superconductivity up to 50 K in the vertical interface regions, spaced ~50 nm apart. No additional process to supply excess oxygen, e.g., by ozone or high-pressure oxygen annealing, was required, as is normally the case for plain La2CuO4+δ films. Our proof-of-concept work represents an entirely new approach to increasing T C in cuprates or other superconductors.

Description

Keywords

51 Physical Sciences, 5104 Condensed Matter Physics

Journal Title

Sci Adv

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2375-2548
2375-2548

Volume Title

5

Publisher

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Sponsorship
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/P026311/1)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/N509620/1)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/N017242/1)
Isaac Newton Trust in Cambridge Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Doctoral training account (grant number EP/N509620/1 Cambridge Commonwealth, European and International Trust China Scholarship Council St John’s College Royal Society EPSRC-JSPS Core-to-Core (EP/P026311/1) and Programme Grant (EP/N017242/1) ISF F.I.R.S.T. program (grant # 687/16) Harry de Jur Chair in Applied Science. U.S. National Science Foundation (DMR-1565822)