{
  "abstract": "Ambient-pressure superconductivity above 40 K has been realized in bilayer nickelate thin films on SrLaAlO$_4$ (001), yet resistive measurements often exhibit incomplete zero-resistance states and/or two-step superconducting transitions of unresolved origin. We show that these features arise from superconducting weak links at substrate step-terrace structures. A direct correlation between the azimuthal-angle-dependent two-step transition and step-terrace orientation establishes this connection, further supported by atomic-scale visualization of structurally disrupted regions at step terraces. Modeling the films as pristine (weak-link) regions with higher (lower) transition temperature reproduces essential features of the two-step transition using both a simple model and finite-element simulations. Transport measurements further reveal a strong dependence of transition characteristics - and even the occurrence of superconductivity itself - on average terrace width. These results identify step-induced weak links as the microscopic origin of two-step transitions in bilayer nickelate films, providing a framework for understanding anisotropic and percolative transport, and a route to superconducting devices.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": "Journal reference: Nano Lett. (2026) 26 (37): 12409-12416",
  "arxiv": "2610.27729",
  "author_total": 9,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Yidi Liu"
    },
    {
      "name": "Yaoju Tarn"
    },
    {
      "name": "Lopa Bhatt"
    },
    {
      "name": "Puhua Zhang"
    },
    {
      "name": "Joonseo Song"
    },
    {
      "name": "Berit H. Goodge"
    },
    {
      "name": "David A. Muller"
    },
    {
      "name": "Harold Y. Hwang"
    },
    {
      "name": "Yijun Yu"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9zq3ktp2de9d9.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2610.27729",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "9zq3ktp2de9d9",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.27729",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "cond-mat.supr-con"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": null,
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2610.27729",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-20",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9zq3ktp2de9d9.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:34:04Z",
      "native_id": "2610.27729",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.27729"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "arxiv:cond-mat.supr-con",
      "subfield": "condensed-matter"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Superconducting weak links at substrate steps in bilayer nickelate films",
  "title_text": "Superconducting weak links at substrate steps in bilayer nickelate films",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:34:04Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9zq3ktp2de9d9",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": [
    {
      "doi": "10.1021/acs.nanolett.6c03024",
      "pid": null,
      "relation": "published-as",
      "title": null,
      "venue": null
    }
  ]
}