Evidence of finite-momentum pairing in a centrosymmetric bilayer

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Abstract
A phase characterized by a spatially modulated order parameter is counter-intuitive because of the entropy penalty that the modulations incur. Its possible existence in superconductors was first proposed under the condition that the formation of Cooper pairs is limited to some segments of the Fermi surface and that the Cooper pairs carry momentum above the Pauli limit. This prediction motivated experimental efforts to identify such non-uniform superconducting states in organic superconductors, heavy fermion compounds and cuprates. Here we report evidence of another type of finite-momentum pairing that manifests below the Pauli limit. It is driven by the orbital effect and does not rely on Fermi surface segmentation. We have evidence of this spatially modulated superconducting state in a hexagonal MoS2 bilayer through remote intercalation that offers both balanced doping and firm out-of-plane coherence across both layers.

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