Quantum interference in a superconductor-MnBi_{2}Te_{4}-superconductor Josephson junction
We study the transport properties of a Josephson junction consisting of two identical s-wave superconductors separated by an even-layer MnBi_{2}Te_{4} (MBT). Using recursive Green's function method, we calculate the supercurrent in the presence of a perpendicular magnetic field and find that it...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Physical Society
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Physical Review Research |
| Online Access: | http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.4.033227 |
| _version_ | 1827285414614925312 |
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| author | Yu-Hang Li Ran Cheng |
| author_facet | Yu-Hang Li Ran Cheng |
| author_sort | Yu-Hang Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We study the transport properties of a Josephson junction consisting of two identical s-wave superconductors separated by an even-layer MnBi_{2}Te_{4} (MBT). Using recursive Green's function method, we calculate the supercurrent in the presence of a perpendicular magnetic field and find that its quantum interference exhibits distinct patterns when the MBT is in different magnetic states. In the antiferromagnetic state, the MBT is an axion insulator supporting an extended “hinge” supercurrent, which leads to a sinusoidal interference pattern decaying with the field strength. In the ferromagnetic state, the MBT is a Chern insulator and the unbalanced chiral supercurrents on opposite edges give rise to a highly asymmetric interference pattern. If the MBT turns into a metal as the Fermi level is tuned into the conduction band, the interference exhibits a Fraunhofer pattern due to the uniformly distributed bulk supercurrent. Our work unravels a strong indicator to identify different phases in the MBT and can be verified directly by experiments. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T10:14:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b1d23b5a63b74b2f9969c288f3439aa8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2643-1564 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T10:14:16Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | American Physical Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Physical Review Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-b1d23b5a63b74b2f9969c288f3439aa82024-04-12T17:24:40ZengAmerican Physical SocietyPhysical Review Research2643-15642022-09-014303322710.1103/PhysRevResearch.4.033227Quantum interference in a superconductor-MnBi_{2}Te_{4}-superconductor Josephson junctionYu-Hang LiRan ChengWe study the transport properties of a Josephson junction consisting of two identical s-wave superconductors separated by an even-layer MnBi_{2}Te_{4} (MBT). Using recursive Green's function method, we calculate the supercurrent in the presence of a perpendicular magnetic field and find that its quantum interference exhibits distinct patterns when the MBT is in different magnetic states. In the antiferromagnetic state, the MBT is an axion insulator supporting an extended “hinge” supercurrent, which leads to a sinusoidal interference pattern decaying with the field strength. In the ferromagnetic state, the MBT is a Chern insulator and the unbalanced chiral supercurrents on opposite edges give rise to a highly asymmetric interference pattern. If the MBT turns into a metal as the Fermi level is tuned into the conduction band, the interference exhibits a Fraunhofer pattern due to the uniformly distributed bulk supercurrent. Our work unravels a strong indicator to identify different phases in the MBT and can be verified directly by experiments.http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.4.033227 |
| spellingShingle | Yu-Hang Li Ran Cheng Quantum interference in a superconductor-MnBi_{2}Te_{4}-superconductor Josephson junction Physical Review Research |
| title | Quantum interference in a superconductor-MnBi_{2}Te_{4}-superconductor Josephson junction |
| title_full | Quantum interference in a superconductor-MnBi_{2}Te_{4}-superconductor Josephson junction |
| title_fullStr | Quantum interference in a superconductor-MnBi_{2}Te_{4}-superconductor Josephson junction |
| title_full_unstemmed | Quantum interference in a superconductor-MnBi_{2}Te_{4}-superconductor Josephson junction |
| title_short | Quantum interference in a superconductor-MnBi_{2}Te_{4}-superconductor Josephson junction |
| title_sort | quantum interference in a superconductor mnbi 2 te 4 superconductor josephson junction |
| url | http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.4.033227 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yuhangli quantuminterferenceinasuperconductormnbi2te4superconductorjosephsonjunction AT rancheng quantuminterferenceinasuperconductormnbi2te4superconductorjosephsonjunction |