Nanjing University's groundbreaking study, led by the Prof. Yong-Lei Wang's group, unveils pioneering advancements in the realm of superconducting electronics. Published in Nano Letters, the research, titled "Unconventional Superconducting Diode Effects via Antisymmetry and Antisymmetry Breaking," explores the innovative manipulation of magnetic charge potentials to achieve unconventional superconducting flux-quantum diode effects.
This study demonstrates the crucial roles of inversion antisymmetry and its disruption in inducing these effects, which are essential for the next generation of dissipationless electronic devices. By ingeniously engineering nanoarrays of nanobar magnets atop a superconducting thin film, the team has successfully manipulated superconducting states in ways previously deemed challenging.
Their findings promise to revolutionize superconducting diodes, offering a nonvolatile control through in-situ magnetization switching of the nanobar magnets. This could lead to substantial enhancements in the efficiency and functionality of superconducting electronics, paving the way for exciting new applications in technology and industry.
This remarkable achievement not only sets a new benchmark in the field but also opens doors to innovative functionalities that were once beyond reach, promising a future where advanced superconducting materials redefine the boundaries of electronic devices.
Nano Lett. 2024, 24, 14, 4108–4116
The abstract of the article is as following:
Symmetry breaking plays a pivotal role in unlocking intriguing properties and functionalities in material systems. For example, the breaking of spatial and temporal symmetries leads to a fascinating phenomenon: the superconducting diode effect. However, generating and precisely controlling the superconducting diode effect pose significant challenges. Here, we take a novel route with the deliberate manipulation of magnetic charge potentials to realize unconventional superconducting flux-quantum diode effects. We achieve this through suitably tailored nanoengineered arrays of nanobar magnets on top of a superconducting thin film. We demonstrate the vital roles of inversion antisymmetry and its breaking in evoking unconventional superconducting effects, namely a magnetically symmetric diode effect and an odd-parity magnetotransport effect. These effects are nonvolatilely controllable through in situ magnetization switching of the nanobar magnets. Our findings promote the use of antisymmetry (breaking) for initiating unconventional superconducting properties, paving the way for exciting prospects and innovative functionalities in superconducting electronics.
Source: School of Electronic Science and Engineering
Correspondent: Wang Yonglei
