Probing Hidden Vortices and Geometrical Effect via Surface-Projected Quasiparticle States
Vortices host quasiparticle excitations, such as Caroli-de Gennes-Matricon or Majorana states. Understanding how these states are modulated by various geometrical structures is essential for both fundamental superconductivity research and quantum device design. However, this relationship remains challenging to elucidate. Here, using a scanning tunneling microscope equipped with a dilution refrigerator, we clearly resolve quasiparticle states from lateral vortices buried beneath the surface of 2H-NbSe<sub>2</sub> under in-plane magnetic fields. Our combined spectroscopic visualization and model calculation uncover a depth-dependent coupling behavior between vortices and the superconductor surface. Shallow vortices (depth of ∼1.5 coherence lengths) exhibit anomalous split quasiparticle states accompanied by a pseudogap, while deeper vortices (>4 coherence lengths) restore the conventional Caroli-de Gennes-Matricon characteristics. Our findings establish a rescaling law of vortex-bound states under a geometrical effect and identify a critical length scale relevant for superconducting devices aimed to utilize intrinsic vortex quasiparticles.
Authors
- Pei‐Yao Liu
- Sha-Sha Xue
- Zhu‐An Xu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9290-2762)
- Shiyong Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6603-9926)
- Dandan Guan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3714-8813)
- Yi Zhou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0423-7964)
- Xuhui Ning (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0561-3511)
- Yaoyi Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0054-4054)
- Canhua Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2240-3559)
- Tongqiao Miao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7521-9002)
- Jinfeng Jia (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9900-281X)
- Hao Zheng (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6495-874X)
- Qiao-Yan Yu
- Ruijun Xi
- Pengyu Hu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0251-0453)
- Liang Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8339-468X)
- Xi Chen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9525-4737)
- Yi Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1204-8717)
- Xian Du
- Ji-Ce Sun
- Xiaoxue Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8761-4010)
- Dang Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1127-7836)
- Yang Hao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9949-7226)
Institutions
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University (CN)
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
- Southern University of Science and Technology (CN)
- Hefei University (CN)
- FZU ‒ Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (CZ)
- Yukhnovskii Institute for Condensed Matter Physics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (UA)
- Advanced Device Technology (United States) (US)
- Beijing Academy of Quantum Information Sciences (CN)
- National Laboratory for Superconductivity (CN)
- Quantum Science Center of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (CN)
- Zhejiang University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nano Letters
- Published
- 2025-12-17
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.5c05073
- Primary Topic
- Topological Materials and Phenomena
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00