Pb/Bi heterostructure as a versatile platform to realize topological superconductivity

Realization of topological superconductors (TSCs) hosting Majorana fermions is an exciting challenge in materials science. Majorana fermions are predicted to emerge at vortex cores of two-dimensional (2D) TSCs and at both ends of one-dimensional (1D) TSCs; these two types of TSCs have been explored independently in different materials. Here, a system which has a potential to access both 1D and 2D TSCs in a single platform, Pb(111)/Bi(111) heterostructure, is proposed. One to twenty bilayers (BLs) of Bi(111) ultra-thin films are epitaxially fabricated on T1BiSe(2), and an intriguing evolution of electronic states upon variation of Bi-layer thickness is revealed by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. The metallic quantum-well states at 1-2BLs are found to turn into the Rashba states at 5-20BLs, via the semiconducting states at 3BL. Fabrication of a Pb(111) film on 20BL Bi(111) enables observation of the proximity-induced superconductivity in Bi(111) as evident from a 1 meV energy gap at 5 K; these energy and temperature scales are considerably larger than those of Rashba superconductors. The Pb/Bi heterostructure serves as a versatile platform to study the interplay among proximity-induced superconductivity, band structure, and topology.

Automated summary

Realizing topological superconductors with Majorana fermions is a thrilling challenge in materials science. Researchers propose a system, Pb(111)/Bi(111) heterostructure, which has the potential to access both 1D and 2D TSCs. They observe the evolution of electronic states with varying Bi-layer thickness and demonstrate proximity-induced superconductivity in Bi(111) on a Pb(111) film.