Enhanced superconducting properties of Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_{8+x}$ films with sub-50-nm thickness

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that approximately 13-unit-cell-thick Bi-2212 films are air-stable, exhibit high anisotropy, and have exceptionally high critical currents, advancing the understanding of ultra-thin high-temperature superconductor films.

Contribution

We report the fabrication and characterization of stable, ultra-thin Bi-2212 films with high critical currents and detailed analysis of their superconducting parameters and Hall effect anomalies.

Findings

Films are stable in air and approximately 13 unit cells thick.

High anisotropy and critical currents observed in the films.

Hall effect shows a double sign change, challenging existing theories.

Abstract

Few-unit cell thick Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_{8+x}$ (Bi-2212) layers have recently attracted much interest due to their extreme anisotropy and two-dimensional superconductivity, although they are typically susceptible to ambient conditions. In this study, we report on thin films approximately 13 unit cells thick that are stable in air, exhibit high anisotropy, and demonstrate extraordinarily high critical currents. By examining the superconducting transition under magnetic fields applied in both out-of-plane and in-plane orientations, we estimate key parameters such as pinning potentials, coherence lengths, London penetration depth, anisotropy factor, and the Ginzburg-Landau parameter. The volume pinning force is better described by a model incorporating an exponential decay term attributed to pronounced thermally-assisted flux flow. The Hall effect in the Bi-2212 films exhibits an extensive anomaly with a double sign change that may challenge existing theoretical explanations for this poorly understood phenomenon in copper-oxide superconductors.