Proximity-Induced Superconductivity in Topological Crystalline Insulator Thin Films

Over the past decades, topological superconductivity has attracted much attention due to its potential to host Majorana zero modes. One approach for realizing topological superconductivity is through a topological insulator proximally coupled to an s-wave superconductor. Unlike topological insulators, where topology is protected by time-reversal symmetry, topological crystalline insulators (TCIs) exhibit topological surface states protected by crystal mirror symmetry. In this work, we used molecular beam epitaxy to grow TCI SnTe thin films and fabricated lateral Josephson junction devices. Through AC and DC Josephson measurements, we demonstrated proximity-induced superconductivity in SnTe. By analyzing Fraunhofer patterns under varying in-plane magnetic fields along the current direction, we examined the evolution of current distribution in these devices. TCI thin films with proximity-induced superconductivity provide a promising platform for exploring multiple Majorana zero modes.