Magnetic-superconducting hybrid systems are essential for realizing topological superconductivity—a quantum state capable of hosting elusive Majorana modes with promising applications in fault-tolerant quantum computing. Despite their potential, engineering stable and controllable interfaces between magnetic and superconducting materials remains a significant challenge, often hindered by lattice mismatches, interfacial complexities, and disorder.
In a study published in Materials Futures, researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University have developed a novel heterostructure by growing sub-monolayer CrTe₂ on a NbSe₂ substrate. This new design features a two-stage growth process. Initially, a compressed Cr-Te layer forms with a lattice constant of 0.35 nm. Upon further growth, this transforms into an atomically flat CrTe₂ monolayer with a slightly expanded lattice constant of 0.39 nm. Annealing this structure triggers stress-relief reconstruction, creating stripe-like patterns whose edges exhibit localized magnetic moments—effectively forming one-dimensional magnetic chains.
These edge-localized magnetic moments were confirmed via scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS), which also revealed the presence of Yu-Shiba-Rusinov (YSR) states—signature quantum features resulting from interactions between magnetic atoms and the superconducting substrate. The periodic, stress-induced magnetic chains present in this heterostructure offer a new and tunable platform for exploring topological superconductivity and potential Majorana-based qubits.
Looking forward, the team intends to further optimize the platform using strain control, annealing processes, and substrate engineering. Future studies will examine how these magnetic chains can be precisely tailored for various quantum applications, with the goal of achieving topological superconductivity. Large-scale statistical analysis and spin-resolved measurements may provide deeper insights into the coupling between strain, magnetism, and superconductivity.
This research represents a significant step toward viable quantum technologies. By leveraging lattice strain to induce nanoscale magnetic structures, the CrTe₂/NbSe₂ heterostructure paves the way for innovations in quantum spintronics and the next generation of quantum computing devices.
More information:
Jiayi Chen et al., One-dimensional magnetic chains in sub-monolayer CrTe₂ grown on NbSe₂, Materials Futures (2025). DOI: 10.1088/2752-5724/ade4e3
By Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory
Edited by Gaby Clark, reviewed by Andrew Zinin
Source: Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory via Phys.org
