Yuki Shiomi

Strontium titanate [SrTiO3 (STO)], a perovskite oxide with an extremely high gate-tunable dielectric constant (ε) due to quantum paraelectric phases, is attracting considerable attention for yielding various physical phenomena when two-dimensional (2D) layers are integrated. Superconductivity is such a typical phenomenon. However, the influence of the STO substrates on enhancing transition temperatures (Tc) for (atomically) thin 2D flakes attached to them has been rarely investigated. Here, we report gate-tunable and gradual four-terminal resistance drops with critical onset T (TCR) and scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) spectra in devices comprising thin TaS2 flakes attached on monolayer hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) spacer/STO substrates. Observation of STS spectra confirms the presence of local superconducting gaps Δ (∼1.5 meV) with transition T (TΔC) three-times higher than previous reports of Tc under absent pressure and strong position dependence of Δ. Depending on Δ on back gate voltages (Vbg) and magnetic fields, there is a strong correlation between TCR and the onset Tc of superconductivity, implying an enhancement of approximately five times compared with the previous highest-onset Tc values without pressure as the applied Vbg increases. The high onset Tc and Δ are discussed based on screening of the long-range Coulomb interaction (CI) due to the high-ε of SrTiO3, while the short-ranged CI remains strong in the 2D limit, causing the superconductivity. Using a monolayer hBN/SrTiO3 substrate with Vbg opens doors to Tc enhancement in thin superconducting layers integrated on it and wide application due to the solid-state high-ε substrates.

We have experimentally demonstrated a phase change control of Hall effects in ferromagnetic MnBi thin films at room temperature. Two distinct ferromagnetic phases, i.e., a low-temperature phase and a quenched high-temperature phase, were obtained by slow-cooling or quenching the sputtered MnBi films. The measurement of Hall effects showed that the anomalous Hall resistivity has different coercivity and remanence between the two phases. By optimizing the Mn/Bi ratio, it is even possible to repeatedly switch the sign of Hall resistivity, which could be utilized as a concept of phase-change memory based on ferromagnetic transport.