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Evidence for superconductivity in Li-decorated monolayer graphene

Cornell Affiliated Author(s)

Author

B.M. Ludbrook
G. Levy
P. Nigge
M. Zonno
M. Schneider
D.J. Dvorak
C.N. Veenstra
S. Zhdanovich
D. Wong
P. Dosanjh
C. Straßer
A. Stöhr
S. Forti
C.R. Ast
U. Starke
A. Damascelli
J.C. Davis

Abstract

Monolayer graphene exhibits many spectacular electronic properties, with superconductivity being arguably the most notable exception. It was theoretically proposed that superconductivity might be induced by enhancing the electron-phonon coupling through the decoration of graphene with an alkali adatom superlattice [Profeta G, Calandra M, Mauri F (2012) Nat Phys 8(2): 131-134]. Although experiments have shown an adatom-induced enhancement of the electron-phonon coupling, superconductivity has never been observed. Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), we show that lithium deposited on graphene at low temperature strongly modifies the phonon density of states, leading to an enhancement of the electron-phonon coupling of up to λ ≃ 0.58. On part of the graphene-derived π∗-band Fermi surface, we then observe the opening of a Δ ≃ 0.9-meV temperature-dependent pairing gap. This result suggests for the first time, to our knowledge, that Li-decorated monolayer graphene is indeed superconducting, with Tc ≃ 5.9 K.

Date Published

Journal

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

Volume

112

Issue

38

Number of Pages

11795-11799,

URL

https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84942867573&doi=10.1073%2fpnas.1510435112&partnerID=40&md5=d4efa9a3dc3ebfeecb1c4ccbb3726a7c

DOI

10.1073/pnas.1510435112

Group (Lab)

J.C. Seamus Davis Group

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