Dimensionality of the reinforced superconductivity in UTe2

Superconductivity in the heavy-fermion metal UTe<sub>2</sub> survives under high magnetic fields, presenting both an intriguing puzzle and an experimental challenge. The non-perturbative influence of the magnetic field complicates the determination of superconducting order parameters in the high-field phases. Here, we report electronic transport anisotropy measurements in precisely aligned microbars in magnetic fields to 45 T. Our results reveal a highly directional vortex pinning force in the field-reinforced phase. The critical current is significantly suppressed for currents only along the c-direction, where the flux-flow voltage vanishes with slight angular misalignments-hallmarks of vortex lock-in transitions typically seen in quasi-2D superconductors like cuprates and pnictides. This marks the observation of a transition into a vortex lock-in state at the boundary between two distinct superconducting states. These findings challenge assumptions of nearly isotropic charge transport in UTe<sub>2</sub> and point to enhanced two-dimensionality in the high-field state, consistent with a change in the order parameter.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Nature Communications
Published
2025-11-21
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-66288-5
Primary Topic
Rare-earth and actinide compounds
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Dimensionality of the reinforced superconductivity in UTe2

Eric D. Bauer, Carsten Putzke, M M Bordelon, Philip J. W. Moll et al.
Nature Communications
Rare-earth and actinide compounds
article

Dimensionality of the reinforced superconductivity in UTe2

Eric D. Bauer, Carsten Putzke, M M Bordelon, Philip J. W. Moll, F. Ronning, P. F. S. Rosa, Chunyu Guo, Ling Zhang, David E Graf, S. M. Thomas
article en

Abstract

Superconductivity in the heavy-fermion metal UTe<sub>2</sub> survives under high magnetic fields, presenting both an intriguing puzzle and an experimental challenge. The non-perturbative influence of the magnetic field complicates the determination of superconducting order parameters in the high-field phases. Here, we report electronic transport anisotropy measurements in precisely aligned microbars in magnetic fields to 45 T. Our results reveal a highly directional vortex pinning force in the field-reinforced phase. The critical current is significantly suppressed for currents only along the c-direction, where the flux-flow voltage vanishes with slight angular misalignments-hallmarks of vortex lock-in transitions typically seen in quasi-2D superconductors like cuprates and pnictides. This marks the observation of a transition into a vortex lock-in state at the boundary between two distinct superconducting states. These findings challenge assumptions of nearly isotropic charge transport in UTe<sub>2</sub> and point to enhanced two-dimensionality in the high-field state, consistent with a change in the order parameter.

Nature CommunicationsVol. 16(1)
Los Alamos National Laboratory (US), National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (US), Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter (DE)
National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Division of Materials Research, Basic Energy Sciences, High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Openalex Percentile: Top 77%
Rare-earth and actinide compounds
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.