2009/03/16 by Mingliang Tian, Jian Wang, Qi Zhang +4
Physics and Astronomy · #Bismuth #Condensed matter physics #Fermi surface #Magnetic field #Materials science #Nanotechnology #Nanowire #Physics #Physics of Superconductivity and Magnetism #Quantum oscillations #Semimetal #Superconductivity #Superconductivity in MgB2 and Alloys #Topological Materials and Phenomena #cond-mat.mes-hall #cond-mat.supr-con
paper · pdf · doi:10.1021/nl901431t
13 pages, 4 figures
arxiv created 2009/03/16 · openalex publication_date 2009/08/11 · arxiv updated 2015/05/13 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
While bulk bismuth (Bi) is a semimetal, we have found clear evidence of superconductivity in 72 nm diameter crystalline Bi nanowire below 1.3 K. In a parallel magnetic field (H), the residual resistance of the nanowire below T(c) displays periodic oscillations with H, and the period corresponds to a superconducting flux quantum. This result indicates that the superconductivity originates from the cylindrical shell between Bi inner core and the surface oxide layer. Under a perpendicular H, the resistance in the superconducting state shows Shubnikov-de Haas (SdH)-like oscillations, a signature of a normal metal. These results suggest a novel coexistence of superconducting and metallic states in the temperatures well below T(c).