Evidence of $\phi_0$-Josephson junction from skewed diffraction patterns in Sn-InSb nanowires
B. Zhang, Z. Li, V. Aguilar, P. Zhang, M. Pendharkar, C. Dempsey, J. S. Lee, S. D. Harrington, S. Tan, J. S. Meyer, M. Houzet, C. J. Palmstrom, S. M. Frolov
SciPost Phys. 18, 013 (2025) · published 13 January 2025
- doi: 10.21468/SciPostPhys.18.1.013
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Abstract
We study Josephson junctions based on InSb nanowires with Sn shells. We observe skewed critical current diffraction patterns: the maxima in forward and reverse current bias are at different magnetic flux, with a displacement of 20-40 mT. The skew is greatest when the external field is nearly perpendicular to the nanowire, in the substrate plane. This orientation suggests that spin-orbit interaction plays a role. We develop a phenomenological model and perform tight-binding calculations, both methods reproducing the essential features of the experiment. The effect modeled is the $\phi_0$-Josephson junction with higher-order Josephson harmonics. The system is of interest for Majorana studies: the effects are either precursor to or concomitant with topological superconductivity. Current-phase relations that lack inversion symmetry can also be used to design quantum circuits with engineered nonlinearity.
Supplementary Information
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Authors / Affiliations: mappings to Contributors and Organizations
See all Organizations.- 1 Bomin Zhang,
- 1 Z. Li,
- 1 V. Aguilar,
- 1 P. Zhang,
- 2 Mihir Pendharkar,
- 2 Connor P. Dempsey,
- 2 J. S. Lee,
- 2 Sean David Harrington,
- 1 S. Tan,
- 3 4 5 6 J. S. Meyer,
- 3 4 5 6 Manuel Houzet,
- 2 Christopher J. Palmstrøm,
- 1 Sergey M. Frolov
- 1 University of Pittsburgh
- 2 University of California, Santa Barbara [UCSB]
- 3 Université Grenoble Alpes / Grenoble Alpes University [UGA]
- 4 Centre d'études nucléaires de Grenoble / CEA Grenoble [CENG]
- 5 Institut polytechnique de Grenoble / Grenoble Institute of Technology
- 6 Institut de Recherche Interdisciplinaire de Grenoble / Institut de Recherche Interdisciplinaire de Grenoble [IRIG]