Materials 17(22), 5460 (2024)
Superconductivity at Pd/Bi2Se3 Interfaces Due to Self-Formed PdBiSe Interlayers
Kaixuan Fan1,2,3, Ze Hua4, Siyao Gu1,2,3, Peng Zhu5, Guangtong Liu3, Hechen Ren1,2,3, Ruiwen Shao4,*, Zhiwei Wang5,*, Li Lu3 and Fan Yang1,2,*
1 Center for Joint Quantum Studies and Department of Physics, School of Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300354, China
2 Tianjin Key Laboratory of Low Dimensional Materials Physics and Preparing Technology, Department of Physics, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300354, China
3 Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
4 Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Intelligent Robots and Systems, School of Medical Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
5 Centre for Quantum Physics, Key Laboratory of Advanced Optoelectronic Quantum Architecture and Measurement (MOE), School of Physics, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
* rwshao@bit.edu.cn (R.S.); zhiweiwang@bit.edu.cn (Z.W.); fanyangphys@tju.edu.cn (F.Y.)
Abstract
Understanding the physical and chemical processes at the interfaces of metals and topological insulators is crucial for the development of the next generation of topological quantum devices. Here, we report the discovery of robust superconductivity in Pd/Bi2Se3 bilayers fabricated by sputtering Pd on the surface of Bi2Se3. Through transmission electron microscopy measurements, we identify that the observed interfacial superconductivity originates from the diffusion of Pd into Bi2Se3. In the diffusion region, Pd chemically reacts with Bi2Se3 and forms a layer of PdBiSe, a known superconductor with a bulk transition temperature of 1.5 K. Our work provides a method for the introduction of superconductivity into Bi2Se3, laying the foundation for the development of sophisticated Bi2Se3-based topological devices.
