Evidence for quasi-two-dimensional superconductivity in infinite-layer nickelates

Abstract

After being expected as a promising analogue to cuprates for decades, superconductivity was recently discovered in infinite-layer nickelates, providing new opportunities to explore mechanisms of high-temperature superconductivity. However, in sharp contrast to the single-band quasi-two-dimensional superconductivity in cuprates, nickelates exhibit a multi-band electronic structure and an unexpected isotropic superconductivity as reported recently, which challenges the cuprate-like picture in nickelates. Here, we show the superconductivity in nickelates is actually anisotropic and quasi-two-dimensional in nature, as that in cuprates. By synthesizing high-quality lanthanide nickelate films with enhanced crystallinity and superconductivity ($T_c^{onset}$ = 18.8 K, $T_c^{zero}$ = 16.5 K), strong anisotropic magnetotransport behaviors have been observed. The quasi-two-dimensional nature is further confirmed by the existence of a cusp-like peak of the angle-dependent $T_c$, and a Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition near $T_c$. Our work thus suggests a quasi-two-dimensional superconductivity in infinite-layer nickelates, implying a single-3$d_{x^2-y^2}$-band cuprate-like picture may remain valid in these compounds.

32 pages, 4 main figures, 6 extended data

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Cited by in corpus (17)

• Ambient-pressure superconductivity onset above 40 K in bilayer nickelate ultrathin films
• Electronic correlations and partial gap in the bilayer nickelate La${}_3$Ni${}_2$O${}_7$
• Cuprate-like Electronic Structures in Infinite-Layer Nickelates with Substantial Hole Dopings
• Electronic Structure of Superconducting Infinite-Layer Lanthanum Nickelates
• Two-gap superconductivity and decisive role of rare-earth $d$ electrons in infinite-layer nickelates
• Modulation of the Octahedral Structure and Potential Superconductivity of La${}_3$Ni${}_2$O${}_7$ through Strain Engineering
• Superconductivity in freestanding infinite-layer nickelate membranes
• Growth and characterization of the La${}_3$Ni${}_2$O${}_{7-\delta }$ thin films: dominant contribution of the $d_{x^2-y^2}$ orbital at ambient pressure
• Large upper critical fields and dimensionality crossover of superconductivity in infinite-layer nickelate La${}_{0.8}$Sr${}_{0.2}$NiO${}_2$
• Investigation of spin excitations and charge order in bulk crystals of the infinite-layer nickelate LaNiO${}_2$
• First-principles study on Pr-doped Bilayer Nickelate La3Ni2O7
• Weakly anisotropic superconductivity of Pr4Ni3O10 single crystals
• Decoupling between $d_{x^2-y^2}$ and $d_{z^2}$ orbitals in hole doped La${}_3$Ni${}_2$O${}_7$
• Systematic evolution of superconducting pairing strength and Seebeck coefficients in correlated infinite-layer La${}_{1-x}$Sr${}_x$NiO${}_2$
• Orbital-selective spin-triplet superconductivity in infinite-layer LaNiO${}_2$
• Superconductivity in spin-orbit coupled BaBi${}_3$ formed by in situ reduction of bismuthate films
• Achieving superconductivity in infinite-layer nickelate thin films by aluminum sputtering deposition