Superconducting Quantum Metamaterials from High Pressure Melt Infiltration of Metals into Block Copolymer Double Gyroid Derived Ceramic Templates

Abstract

Mesoscale order can lead to emergent properties including phononic bandgaps or topologically protected states. Block copolymers offer a route to mesoscale periodic architectures, but their use as structure directing agents for metallic materials has not been fully realized. A versatile approach to mesostructured metals via bulk block copolymer self‐assembly derived ceramic templates, is demonstrated. Molten indium is infiltrated into mesoporous, double gyroidal silicon nitride templates under high pressure to yield bulk, 3D periodic nanocomposites as free‐standing monoliths which exhibit emergent quantum‐scale phenomena. Vortices are artificially introduced when double gyroidal indium metal behaves as a type II superconductor, with evidence of strong pinning centers arrayed on the order of the double gyroid lattice size. Sample behavior is reproducible over months, showing high stability. High pressure infiltration of bulk block copolymer self‐assembly based ceramic templates is an enabling tool for studying high‐quality metals with previously inaccessible architectures, and paves the way for the emerging field of block‐copolymer derived quantum metamaterials.

Fabrication of Superconducting Nanowires Using the Template Method

“…These ideas comprise DNA sections as templates [ 117 ], molecular templates [ 118 ], and biomimetic templates from chitosan [ 119 ]. Other proposals made include self-assembled Si templates [ 120 ], combinations of porous Si with high-resolution electron beam lithography [ 121 ], block copolymer double gyroid-derived ceramic templates [ 122 ], and zeolite [ 123 ]. Using these new approaches, new superconducting materials were also obtained in nanowire form, including MgB and 3-MoN [ 124 ].…”

Three-dimensional artificial chirality towards low-cost and ultra-sensitive enantioselective sensing

“…35 The morphologies of block copolymers depend on the thermal equilibrium condition with respect to the volume fraction of monomer blocks. Thus, various morphologies, such as lamellae and cylinders, and even chiral geometries, like gyroid, 36,37 spiral, 38–40 toroid, 41 and helix, can be obtained by exploiting phase separation and reconstructions of block copolymers. For example (Fig.…”

Patternable Mesoporous Thin Film Quantum Materials via Block Copolymer Self-Assembly: An Emergent Technology?

“…In quantum materials, including superconductors, topological insulators, quantum spin liquids or spin ices, quantum-mechanical effects fundamentally alter macroscopic properties . BCPs have begun making inroads into such areas, demonstrating the convergence of soft matter self-assembly science and hard condensed matter physics, for example, in the form of mesostructured superconductors synthesized through structure direction or templating strategies. − These studies have shown how BCP nano/mesostructure definition can lead to emergent quantum metamaterials properties via modification of fundamental, quantum-level material characteristics. For example, when indium metal, a type-I superconductor, was confined to the minority networks of a BCP self-assembly directed double gyroid, the nanoscale confinement and periodic mesostructure led to pinning of magnetic vortices on the order of the double gyroid lattice size, resulting in macroscopic type-II superconductor behavior .…”

“…BCPs have begun making inroads into such areas, demonstrating the convergence of soft matter self-assembly science and hard condensed matter physics, for example, in the form of mesostructured superconductors synthesized through structure direction or templating strategies. − These studies have shown how BCP nano/mesostructure definition can lead to emergent quantum metamaterials properties via modification of fundamental, quantum-level material characteristics. For example, when indium metal, a type-I superconductor, was confined to the minority networks of a BCP self-assembly directed double gyroid, the nanoscale confinement and periodic mesostructure led to pinning of magnetic vortices on the order of the double gyroid lattice size, resulting in macroscopic type-II superconductor behavior . Furthermore, when superconducting niobium nitride-type materials were structure directed by BCPs into four different mesostructures without substantial variation of the X-ray diffraction-measured atomic lattice parameters they displayed a mesostructure-dependent transition temperature ( T c ), that is, a typical fingerprint of metamaterial behavior .…”

“…To date, however, the investigation of BCP-based synthetic routes to such materials has been largely confined to the bulk regime. − In order to be integrated into microelectronics processing and demonstrate accessible routes toward real devices, it is desirable to create thin film analogs of such BCP-derived quantum materials. This study reports the fabrication of BCP self-assembly directed mesoporous niobium carbonitride (NbCN)-type superconducting thin film structures on silicon substrates, using a combination of spin-coating, thermal processing, and lithography.…”