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In a zero-dimensional superconductor, quantum size effects(QSE) not only setthe limit to superconductivity, but are also at the heart of new phenomena suchas shell effects, which have been predicted to result in large enhancements ofthe superconducting energy gap. Here, we experimentally demonstrate these QSEthrough measurements on single, isolated Pb and Sn nanoparticles. In bothsystems superconductivity is ultimately quenched at sizes governed by thedominance of the quantum fluctuations of the order parameter. However, beforethe destruction of superconductivity, in Sn nanoparticles we observe giantoscillations in the superconducting energy gap with particle size leading toenhancements as large as 60%. These oscillations are the first experimentalproof of coherent shell effects in nanoscale superconductors. Contrarily, weobserve no such oscillations in the gap for Pb nanoparticles, which is ascribedto the suppression of shell effects for shorter coherence lengths. Our studypaves the way to exploit QSE in boosting superconductivity in low-dimensionalsystems.

Observation of shell effects in superconducting nanoparticles of Sn