Superconducting Sn_{1-x}In_{x}Te Nanoplates

Satoshi Sasaki, Yoichi Ando

Published 2014-10-17Version 1

Recently, the search for Majorana fermions (MFs) has become one of the most prominent subjects in condensed matter physics. If found, Majorana fermions will deepen our understanding of quantum physics and foster innovations in future quantum technologies. Theoretically, MFs may reside in various types of topological superconductor materials, and superconducting Sn_{1-x}In_{x}Te, which is a doped topological crystalline insulator, is one of the promising candidates to harbor MFs. Here, we report the first successful growth of superconducting Sn_{1-x}In_{x}Te nanoplates on Si substrates by a simple vapor transport method without employing any catalyst. We observed robust superconducting transitions in those nanoplates after device fabrication and found that the relation between the critical temperature and the carrier density is consistent with that of bulk single crystals, suggesting that the superconducting properties of the nanoplate devices are essentially the same as those of bulk crystals. With the help of nanofabrication, those nanoplates offer promising opportunities to elucidate the potentially topological nature of superconductivity in Sn_{1-x}In_{x}Te to harbor MFs and thereby contribute to the future quantum technologies.