2.5-dimensional topological superconductivity in twisted superconducting flakes

Multilayer flakes of two-dimensional materials were recently shown to be tunable by twisting monolayers on their surface. This raises the question whether qualitatively new phenomena can occur in such finite-thickness moiré systems. Here we demonstrate the emergence of distinct topological phases and transitions in N-layered flakes of nodal superconductors with a single monolayer twisted on top of it. We show that a c-axis current transforms the whole system into a chiral topological superconductor. Increasing the current drives a sequence of topological transitions between states characterized by a Chern number increasing from $$\sim {\mathcal{O}}(N)$$ up to $$\sim {\mathcal{O}}({N}^{2})$$ , well beyond the additive effect of stacking N layers. We predict thickness-independent signatures of these states in the thermal Hall and tunneling microscopy measurements. Twisted superconductor flakes thus provide an example of a “2.5-dimensional” material where the synergy of two-dimensional layers extended in a third dimension realize states inaccessible in either monolayer or bulk materials.

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Publication Details

Journal
npj Quantum Materials
Published
2025-01-27
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41535-024-00719-2
Citations
2
Primary Topic
Topological Materials and Phenomena
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
2.49

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article

2.5-dimensional topological superconductivity in twisted superconducting flakes

J. H. Pixley, Kevin P. Lucht, Pavel A. Volkov
2 citations
npj Quantum Materials
Topological Materials and Phenomena
2.49
article

2.5-dimensional topological superconductivity in twisted superconducting flakes

J. H. Pixley, Kevin P. Lucht, Pavel A. Volkov
article en
2 citations

Abstract

Multilayer flakes of two-dimensional materials were recently shown to be tunable by twisting monolayers on their surface. This raises the question whether qualitatively new phenomena can occur in such finite-thickness moiré systems. Here we demonstrate the emergence of distinct topological phases and transitions in N-layered flakes of nodal superconductors with a single monolayer twisted on top of it. We show that a c-axis current transforms the whole system into a chiral topological superconductor. Increasing the current drives a sequence of topological transitions between states characterized by a Chern number increasing from $$\sim {\mathcal{O}}(N)$$ up to $$\sim {\mathcal{O}}({N}^{2})$$ , well beyond the additive effect of stacking N layers. We predict thickness-independent signatures of these states in the thermal Hall and tunneling microscopy measurements. Twisted superconductor flakes thus provide an example of a “2.5-dimensional” material where the synergy of two-dimensional layers extended in a third dimension realize states inaccessible in either monolayer or bulk materials.

npj Quantum MaterialsVol. 10(1)
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (US), Harvard University (US), University of Connecticut (US), Flatiron Health (United States) (US), Flatiron Institute (US)
National Science Foundation, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Aspen Center for Physics, Division of Materials Research, Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara
Openalex Percentile: Top 14%
Topological Materials and Phenomena
2.49
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2.5-dimensional topological superconductivity in twisted superconducting flakes — J. H. Pixley, Kevin P. Lucht, et al. · npj Quantum Materials (2025) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS