Enhancing the hybridization of plasmons in graphene with 2D superconductor collective modes

TL;DR

This paper investigates how placing graphene near 2D superconductors can lead to hybrid collective modes, revealing new physics and observable signatures in near-field experiments.

Contribution

It demonstrates the hybridization of graphene plasmons with superconductor collective modes, providing a novel platform to study many-body physics.

Findings

Hybridization causes distinct signatures in near-field reflection.

Graphene-superconductor heterostructures enable probing superconductor collective modes.

Potential for experimental observation via scanning near-field microscopy.

Abstract

We explore ways in which the close proximity between graphene sheets and monolayers of 2D superconductors can lead to hybridization between their collective excitations. We consider heterostructures formed by combinations of graphene sheets and 2D superconductor monolayers. The broad range of energies in which the graphene plasmon can exist, together with its tunability, makes such heterostrucutres promising platforms for probing the many-body physics of superconductors. We show that the hybridization between the graphene plasmon and the Bardasis-Schrieffer mode of a 2D superconductor results in clear signatures on the near-field reflection coefficient of the heterostructure, which in principle can be observed in scanning near-field microscopy experiments.