We study the effect of a magnetic field on the current-phase relation of a topological Josephson junction formed by connecting two superconductors through the helical edge states of a quantum spin-Hall insulator. We predict that the Zeeman effect along the spin quantization axis of the helical edges results in an anomalous Josephson relation that allows for a supercurrent to flow in the absence of superconducting phase bias. We relate the associated field-tunable phase shift phi0 in the Josephson relation of such a phi0-junction to the existence of a so-called helical superconductivity, which may result from the interplay of the Zeeman effect and spin-orbit coupling. We analyze the dependence of the magneto-supercurrent on the junction length and discuss its observability in suitably designed hybrid structures subject to an in-plane magnetic field.

Topological Josephson phi0-junctions / Dolcini, Fabrizio; Houzet, Manuel; . Meyer, Julia S.. - In: PHYSICAL REVIEW. B, CONDENSED MATTER AND MATERIALS PHYSICS. - ISSN 1098-0121. - STAMPA. - 92:Published 24 July 2015(2015), pp. 035428-1-035428-7. [10.1103/PhysRevB.92.035428]

Topological Josephson phi0-junctions

DOLCINI, FABRIZIO;
2015

Abstract

We study the effect of a magnetic field on the current-phase relation of a topological Josephson junction formed by connecting two superconductors through the helical edge states of a quantum spin-Hall insulator. We predict that the Zeeman effect along the spin quantization axis of the helical edges results in an anomalous Josephson relation that allows for a supercurrent to flow in the absence of superconducting phase bias. We relate the associated field-tunable phase shift phi0 in the Josephson relation of such a phi0-junction to the existence of a so-called helical superconductivity, which may result from the interplay of the Zeeman effect and spin-orbit coupling. We analyze the dependence of the magneto-supercurrent on the junction length and discuss its observability in suitably designed hybrid structures subject to an in-plane magnetic field.
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Dolcini-Houzet-Meyer_PRB_92_035428_2015.pdf

accesso aperto

Descrizione: Dolcini-Houzet-Meyer_PRB_92_035428_2015
Tipologia: 2a Post-print versione editoriale / Version of Record
Licenza: PUBBLICO - Tutti i diritti riservati
Dimensione 679.66 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
679.66 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri
Pubblicazioni consigliate

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11583/2615514
 Attenzione

Attenzione! I dati visualizzati non sono stati sottoposti a validazione da parte dell'ateneo