Competition between Superconductivity and Weak Localization in Metal-Mixed Ion-Implanted Polymers

TL;DR

This paper investigates how fabrication parameters influence the superconducting and insulating states in metal-mixed ion-implanted polymers, revealing a superconductor-insulator transition and magnetoresistance features due to weak localization effects.

Contribution

It demonstrates the ability to control the superconductor-insulator transition in these materials by adjusting fabrication conditions and analyzes the origin of magnetoresistance peaks.

Findings

Superconductor-insulator transition can be induced by fabrication parameters.

Magnetoresistance peaks are caused by interplay between superconductivity and weak localization.

Magnetoresistance peaks differ from those in unimplanted films and other organic superconductors.

Abstract

We study the effects of varying the pre-implant film thickness and implant temperature on the electrical and superconducting properties of metal-mixed ion-implanted polymers. We show that it is possible to drive a superconductor-insulator transition in these materials via control of the fabrication parameters. We observe peaks in the magnetoresistance and demonstrate that these are caused by the interplay between superconductivity and weak localization in these films, which occurs due to their granular structure. We compare these magnetoresistance peaks with those seen in unimplanted films and other organic superconductors, and show that they are distinctly different.