1 research outputs found
Possible robust insulator-superconductor transition on solid inert gas and other substrates
We present observations of the insulator-superconductor transition in
ultrathin films of Bi on amorphous quartz, quartz coated with Ge, and for the
first time, solid xenon condensed on quartz. The relative permeability
ranges from 1.5 for Xe to 15 for Ge. Though we find screening
effects as expected, the I-S transition is robust, and unmodified by the
substrate. The resistance separatrix is found to be close to h/4e^2 and the
crossover thickness close to for all substrates. I-V studies and
Aslamazov-Larkin analyses indicate superconductivity is inhomogeneous. The
transition can be understood in terms of a percolation model.Comment: accepted in Physical Review