Infinite-randomness fixed point of the quantum superconductor-metal transitions in amorphous thin films

Nicholas A. Lewellyn, Ilana M. Percher, Jj Nelson, Javier Garcia-Barriocanal, Irina Volotsenko, Aviad Frydman, Thomas Vojta, Allen M. Goldman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

21 Scopus citations

Abstract

The magnetic-field-tuned quantum superconductor-insulator transitions of disordered amorphous indium oxide films are a paradigm in the study of quantum phase transitions and exhibit power-law scaling behavior. For superconducting indium oxide films with low disorder, such as the ones reported on here, the high-field state appears to be a quantum-corrected metal. Resistance data across the superconductor-metal transition in these films are shown here to obey an activated scaling form appropriate to a quantum phase transition controlled by an infinite-randomness fixed point in the universality class of the random transverse-field Ising model. Collapse of the field-dependent resistance vs temperature data is obtained using an activated scaling form appropriate to this universality class, using values determined through a modified form of power-law scaling analysis. This exotic behavior of films exhibiting a superconductor-metal transition is caused by the dissipative dynamics of superconducting rare regions immersed in a metallic matrix, as predicted by a recent renormalization group theory. The smeared crossing points of isotherms observed are due to corrections to scaling which are expected near an infinite-randomness critical point, where the inverse disorder strength acts as an irrelevant scaling variable.

Original languageEnglish
Article number054515
JournalPhysical Review B
Volume99
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 25 Feb 2019

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 American Physical Society.

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Infinite-randomness fixed point of the quantum superconductor-metal transitions in amorphous thin films'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this