Gap suppression at a Lifshitz transition in a multi-condensate superconductor

• Published in: Nature materials Vol. 18; no. 9; pp. 948 - 954
• Main Authors: Singh, G., Jouan, A., Herranz, G., Scigaj, M., Sánchez, F., Benfatto, L., Caprara, S., Grilli, M., Saiz, G., Couëdo, F., Feuillet-Palma, C., Lesueur, J., Bergeal, N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 13.05.2019; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 639/766/119/1003; 639/766/119/544; 639/766/119/995; Biomaterials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Computer simulation; Condensates; Condensed Matter Physics; Doping; Fluids; Materials Science; Nanotechnology; Occupancy; Optical and Electronic Materials; Order parameters; Phase diagrams; Quantum confinement; Quantum wells; Stiffness; Strontium titanates; Superconductivity; Superfluidity
• ISSN: 1476-1122; 1476-4660
• DOI: 10.1038/s41563-019-0354-z

In multi-orbital materials, superconductivity can exhibit several coupled condensates. In this context, quantum confinement in two-dimensional superconducting oxide interfaces offers new degrees of freedom to engineer the band structure and selectively control the occupancy of 3 d orbitals by electrostatic doping. Here, we use resonant microwave transport to extract the superfluid stiffness of the (110)-oriented LaAlO 3 /SrTiO 3 interface in the entire phase diagram. We provide evidence of a transition from single-condensate to two-condensate superconductivity driven by continuous and reversible electrostatic doping, which we relate to the Lifshitz transition between 3 d bands based on numerical simulations of the quantum well. We find that the superconducting gap is suppressed while the second band is populated, challenging Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer theory. We ascribe this behaviour to the existence of superconducting order parameters with opposite signs in the two condensates due to repulsive coupling. Our findings offer an innovative perspective on the possibility to tune and control multiple-orbital physics in superconducting interfaces. Electrostatic doping drives a transition from single condensate to two condensate superconductivity at the (110)-oriented LaAlO 3 /SrTiO 3 interface.