Steady-state superconductivity in electronic materials with repulsive interactions

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that laser-driven nonthermal states in hexagonal 2D materials can induce interband superconducting correlations regardless of electron interaction sign, potentially enabling superconductivity in previously unsuitable materials.

Contribution

It reveals a mechanism for laser-induced superconductivity in nonthermal states of 2D materials with broken inversion symmetry, independent of interaction sign.

Findings

Superconducting correlations can develop in nonthermal steady states.

Laser driving induces asymmetric carrier populations in valleys.

Superconductivity can occur regardless of electron-electron interaction sign.

Abstract

We study the effect of laser driving on a minimal model for a hexagonal two-dimensional material with broken inversion symmetry. Through the application of circularly polarised light and coupling to a thermal free electron bath, the system is driven into a nonequilibrium steady state with asymmetric, nonthermal carrier populations in the two valleys. We show that, in this steady state, interband superconducting correlations between electrons can develop independent of the sign of the electron-electron interactions. We discuss how our results apply, for example, to transition metal dichalcogenides. This work opens the door to technological applications of superconductivity in a range of materials that were hitherto precluded from it.