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Coexistence of superconductivity and topological band in a van der Waals crystal
Phys. Rev. B 112, 064505 – Published 4 August, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/tnv5-ntfv
Abstract
The realization of topological surface states and superconductivity within a single material platform is a crucial step toward achieving topologically nontrivial superconductivity. This can be achieved at an interface between a superconductor and a topological insulator or within a single material that intrinsically hosts both superconductivity and topological surface states. Here we use scanning tunneling microscopy to study crystals. Spectroscopic evidence reveals the coexistence of topological surface states and superconductivity on the same surface of the crystals. The Te-terminated surface exhibits a single U-shaped superconducting gap with a size of up to , alongside Dirac bands outside the gap. Analysis of the vortex structure and differential conductance suggests weak-coupling -wave superconductivity. The absence of observed zero modes suggests that shifting the Fermi level closer to the Dirac point of the topological bands is necessary to realize a topological superconducting state.