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Thin films

Enhanced Superconductivity in PbTe-In Hybrids

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Scientists at Tsinghua University have achieved a groundbreaking discovery in the field of physics, demonstrating the realization of epitaxial indium thin films on PbTe nanowires. This innovative research has the potential to enable exotic phases of matter, such as topological superconductivity. The study reveals that the PbTe-In hybrid enhances the properties of both the superconductivity of In and the g factors of PbTe. This development holds significant promise for the advancement of materials science and beyond.

Key Takeaways:

  • Researchers at Tsinghua University have successfully grown epitaxial indium thin films on PbTe nanowires, creating a continuous and atomically sharp interface.
  • The PbTe-In hybrid exhibits enhanced superconductivity and critical temperature, with a gap size of 1.08-1.18 meV, which is twice as large as bulk indium's.
  • The presence of PbTe leads to a notable enhancement of the critical temperature of In on a PbTe substrate.
  • Subgap peaks appear at finite magnetic fields, indicating a unique property of the hybrid material.
  • The effective g factor in the PbTe-In hybrid is enhanced by a factor of 15-45, compared to bare PbTe wires.
  • The research suggests that the PbTe-In hybrid may enable exotic phases of matter, such as topological superconductivity.
  • The study has been peer-reviewed and published in the Physical Review Materials journal.
  • The research team includes scientists from Tsinghua University, led by Ke He, and several other authors from the Department of Physics and State Key Lab Low Dimens Quantum Phys.

Statistics:

  • The gap size of the PbTe-In hybrid is 1.08-1.18 meV, which is twice as large as bulk indium's gap size.
  • The critical temperature of In on a PbTe substrate is prominently enhanced.
  • The effective g factor in the PbTe-In hybrid ranges from 15 to 45.
  • The research team includes 23 authors from Tsinghua University and other institutions.

Sources:

  • Enhanced Superconductivity In Pbte-in Hybrids. Physical Review Materials, 2025;9(8).
  • NewsRx. Reports from Tsinghua University Add New Data to Findings in Physics (Enhanced Superconductivity In Pbte-in Hybrids). Journal of Physics Research. October 21, 2025; p 474.

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