Unraveling the interplay between Charge Density Waves and Superconductivity using Synchrotron Techniques

• Grant number: 23/13650-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: September 01, 2024
• End date: August 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Condensed Matter Physics
• Principal Investigator: Ricardo Donizeth dos Reis
• Grantee: Lucas Eduardo Corrêa
• Host Institution: Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais (CNPEM). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brasil). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 18/00823-0 - New topological states of matter under extreme conditions, AP.JP

Abstract

This postdoctoral project aims to enhance our understanding of the relationship between charge density waves (CDW) and superconductivity in solid-state systems. The key factors pertaining to the CDW mechanism and the interplay between CDW and superconductivity remain unclear, as they strongly depend on crystal dimensionality, band structures, and tuning parameters. Our research will focus on two systems: transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), specifically ZrTe2, and the Kagome metal family AV3Sb5 (A = K, Rb, Cs) of compounds. Both systems are known for presenting both CDW and superconductivity; however, the correlation between the two phenomena appears to be very different. In the former system, CDW and superconductivity seem unrelated, and the amount of defects in the structure is the key parameter for the superconducting state. In the Kagome family, external pressure produces an exotic behavior for both CDW and superconductivity, with indications that the two phenomena compete with each other. Our objective here is to explore the selectivity of charge, spin, and orbital properties of Synchrotron techniques, such as X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction, to examine the critical behavior during the onset of the CDW phase and explore the interplay between these two phenomena. To conduct our study, we will manipulate external pressure, low temperature, and high magnetic fields to probe the phase diagram of the materials. This investigation will offer valuable insights into the ongoing debate in condensed matter physics regarding the competition among superconductivity, CDW, and topology. Additionally, it will contribute to the improvement of current instrumentation for experiments conducted under high pressure (both hydrostatic and uniaxial) at low temperatures and high magnetic fields, thereby presenting new experimental opportunities for the Brazilian scientific community in terms of advanced techniques.