Extracting intrinsic superconducting properties in intercalated layered superconductors using an extended 2D Tinkham model

TL;DR

This paper introduces an extended 2D Tinkham model to accurately extract intrinsic superconducting properties in intercalated layered superconductors with interlayer misalignments, supported by experimental validation across different materials.

Contribution

The paper develops and validates an extended 2D Tinkham model that accounts for interlayer misalignment effects in layered superconductors, enabling precise characterization of their intrinsic properties.

Findings

Sample-dependent superconducting dimensionality observed.

Berezinskii Kosterlitz Thouless (BKT) transitions confirmed.

Model successfully applied to multiple intercalated superconductors.

Abstract

Bulk two dimensional (2D) superconductivity has gained considerable attention due to its intricate interplay between symmetry breaking, nontrivial topology, 2D phase fluctuations, and unconventional superconductivity. However, certain intercalated layered superconductors, despite their short c-axis superconducting coherence length, have been misclassified as anisotropic three-dimensional (3D) superconductors. Here, we investigate (Li,Fe)OHFeSe superconductors with varying degrees of interlayer misalignment, revealing sample-dependent superconducting dimensionality while consistently observing Berezinskii Kosterlitz Thouless (BKT) transitions. To resolve this discrepancy, we develop an extended 2D Tinkham model that quantitatively captures the blurring effects induced by interlayer misalignment. We further demonstrate the validity of this model in both (Li,Fe)OHFeSe and cetyltrimethyl ammonium (CTA+) intercalated (CTA)0.5SnSe2 superconductors, highlighting its broad applicability. This work provides valuable insights into bulk 2D superconductivity and establishes an extended 2D Tinkham model for quantitatively extracting intrinsic superconducting properties in intercalated layered superconductors, particularly those exhibiting significant interlayer misalignments.