Peking University, Oct 28, 2015: More than 40 years ago, Robert B. Griffiths predicted that phase transitions can be dramatically changed by disorder effect and in particular the dynamical critical exponent can diverge. In the last 40 years, this theory has been applied to quantum phase transitions and developed into the theory of “quantum Griffiths singularity”. However, the major signature of the theory, the divergence of dynamical critical exponent, is very difficult to observe in experiments.
Recently, Prof. Wang Jian , in collaboration with Prof. Xie Xincheng, Prof. Lin Xi and Prof. Wang Fa at Peking University, as well as Prof. Xue Qi-Kun and Prof. Ma Xu-Cun at Tsinghua University, observed for the first time the quantum Griffiths singularity in two dimensional (2D) superconducting system. They studied three monolayer thick Ga films in ultra low temperature regime, in which 2D superconductivity and superconductor to metal transition were detected. Furthermore, when approaching the zero temperature quantum critical point, they found the divergence of the dynamical critical exponent, which is consistent with the Griffiths singularity behavior. The superconductor-metal quantum phase transition in this 2D superconducting systemwith disorder could thus be explained by the theory of quantum Griffiths singularity, which is different with the previous understanding of quantum phase transition in 2D superconductors.
Prof.Wang Jian , Prof.Lin Xi at Peking University and Prof. Ma Xu-Cun at Tsinghua University are corresponding authors of this paper. Xing Ying , Fu Hai-Long , Dr. Liu Haiwen at Peking University and Zhang Hui-Min at Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciencescontributed equally to this work.
The work was supported by National Basic Research Programs of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China, 1000 Talents Programfor Young Scientists of China, the Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education (RFDP) of China, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Quantum Matter, China.
Figure: The superconductivity in 3 monolayer thick Ga film and the divergence of the critical exponent approaching the quantum critical point (zero temperature limit).
Edited by: Zhang Jiang
Source: International Center of Quantum Materials
