Electronic Nematicity in Interface Superconducting LAO/KTO(111)

The symmetry of superconducting and normal states is at the core of superconductivity research. Emergent electronic nematicity, which spontaneously breaks the rotational symmetry, has been found in the normal state of various types of unconventional superconductors. Here, we exploit the angle-resolv...

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Main Authors: X. B. Cheng, M. Zhang, Y. Q. Sun, G. F. Chen, M. Qin, T. S. Ren, X. S. Cao, Y. W. Xie, J. Wu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American Physical Society 2025-04-01
Series:Physical Review X
Online Access:http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevX.15.021018
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author X. B. Cheng
M. Zhang
Y. Q. Sun
G. F. Chen
M. Qin
T. S. Ren
X. S. Cao
Y. W. Xie
J. Wu
author_facet X. B. Cheng
M. Zhang
Y. Q. Sun
G. F. Chen
M. Qin
T. S. Ren
X. S. Cao
Y. W. Xie
J. Wu
author_sort X. B. Cheng
collection DOAJ
description The symmetry of superconducting and normal states is at the core of superconductivity research. Emergent electronic nematicity, which spontaneously breaks the rotational symmetry, has been found in the normal state of various types of unconventional superconductors. Here, we exploit the angle-resolved resistivity method to systematically measure the nematicity of the interface superconducting LaAlO_{3}/KTaO_{3}(111) (LAO/KTO). Compared to the normal state, electronic nematicity is enhanced substantially by superconducting fluctuations around the superconducting temperature T_{c}. More importantly, T_{c} is also anisotropic in plane and angle dependent. The nematicity consists of a dominant C_{2} component and a C_{4} component, which can be explained by the presence of nematic domains. After the superconductivity is suppressed by a magnetic field, the uncovered quantum metal state manifests significant nematicity that is contributed by residual nematic superconducting fluctuations. A coherent picture of nematic interface superconductivity can be retrieved from the measured nematicity phase diagram that is crucial for the understanding of quantum metal state, electronic nematicity, and interface superconductivity.
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institution OA Journals
issn 2160-3308
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher American Physical Society
record_format Article
series Physical Review X
spelling doaj-art-e78ba5d6df0443829943624e88422dd62025-08-20T02:17:33ZengAmerican Physical SocietyPhysical Review X2160-33082025-04-0115202101810.1103/PhysRevX.15.021018Electronic Nematicity in Interface Superconducting LAO/KTO(111)X. B. ChengM. ZhangY. Q. SunG. F. ChenM. QinT. S. RenX. S. CaoY. W. XieJ. WuThe symmetry of superconducting and normal states is at the core of superconductivity research. Emergent electronic nematicity, which spontaneously breaks the rotational symmetry, has been found in the normal state of various types of unconventional superconductors. Here, we exploit the angle-resolved resistivity method to systematically measure the nematicity of the interface superconducting LaAlO_{3}/KTaO_{3}(111) (LAO/KTO). Compared to the normal state, electronic nematicity is enhanced substantially by superconducting fluctuations around the superconducting temperature T_{c}. More importantly, T_{c} is also anisotropic in plane and angle dependent. The nematicity consists of a dominant C_{2} component and a C_{4} component, which can be explained by the presence of nematic domains. After the superconductivity is suppressed by a magnetic field, the uncovered quantum metal state manifests significant nematicity that is contributed by residual nematic superconducting fluctuations. A coherent picture of nematic interface superconductivity can be retrieved from the measured nematicity phase diagram that is crucial for the understanding of quantum metal state, electronic nematicity, and interface superconductivity.http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevX.15.021018
spellingShingle X. B. Cheng
M. Zhang
Y. Q. Sun
G. F. Chen
M. Qin
T. S. Ren
X. S. Cao
Y. W. Xie
J. Wu
Electronic Nematicity in Interface Superconducting LAO/KTO(111)
Physical Review X
title Electronic Nematicity in Interface Superconducting LAO/KTO(111)
title_full Electronic Nematicity in Interface Superconducting LAO/KTO(111)
title_fullStr Electronic Nematicity in Interface Superconducting LAO/KTO(111)
title_full_unstemmed Electronic Nematicity in Interface Superconducting LAO/KTO(111)
title_short Electronic Nematicity in Interface Superconducting LAO/KTO(111)
title_sort electronic nematicity in interface superconducting lao kto 111
url http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevX.15.021018
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