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Signatures of topological superconductivity in Josephson junctions

ORAL

Abstract

Topological superconductivity is a phase of matter supporting Majorana bound states, quasiparticles that store information in a nonlocal manner and can be used as qubits that are robust against local perturbations. We theoretically investigate the emergence of topological superconductivity in Josephson junctions with tunable chemical potential and Rashba spin-orbit coupling, subjected to an in-plane magnetic field. As the magnetic field along the junction increases above some critical value the system experiences a transition from the trivial to the topological superconducting phase. Theoretical simulations show that such a transition is accompanied by a minimum in the critical current and a corresponding jump in the phase difference across the junction. The sensitivity of the topological transition to the in-plane magnetization direction provides and additional fingerprint for the emergence of topological superconductivity. The theoretical simulations are in good agreement with the recent experimental detection of topological phase transitions in gate-tunable JJs built on epitaxial Al/InAs [1].

[1] M. C. Dartiailh et al., arXiv: 1906.01179

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Presenters

  • Alex Matos Abiague

    Wayne State Univ, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Wayne State University, Wayne State University, Physics and Astronomy, Wayne State University

Authors

  • Alex Matos Abiague

    Wayne State Univ, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Wayne State University, Wayne State University, Physics and Astronomy, Wayne State University

  • Matthieu Dartiailh

    New York University

  • William Mayer

    Department of Physics, New York University, New York University, Physics, New York University, New York Univ NYU, Center for Quantum Phenomena, New York University

  • Joseph Yuan

    New York University, Physics, New York University, New York Univ NYU, Center for Quantum Phenomena, New York University, Department of Physics, New York University

  • Kaushini S Wickramasinghe

    New York University, Physics, New York University, University of Maryland, College Park, Center for Quantum Phenomena, New York University, New York Univ NYU, Department of Physics, New York University

  • Igor Zutic

    Department of Physics, State Univ of NY - Buffalo, University at Buffalo, Physics, Buffalo State Univeristy of New York, Department of Physics, State University at New York at Buffalo, State Univ of NY - Buffalo, Physics, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Department of Physics, University at Buffalo, Department of physics, University at Buffalo

  • Javad Shabani

    Department of Physics, New York University, New York University, Physics, New York University, New York Univ NYU, Center for Quantum Phenomena, New York University, Center for Quantum Phenomena, NYU