Gate controlled anomalous phase shift in Al/InAs Josephson junctions

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 11; no. 1; p. 212
• Main Authors: Mayer, William, Dartiailh, Matthieu C., Yuan, Joseph, Wickramasinghe, Kaushini S., Rossi, Enrico, Shabani, Javad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 10-01-2020; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 639/766/119/1001; 639/766/119/1003; 639/766/119/544; Asymmetry; Humanities and Social Sciences; Interference; Josephson effect; Josephson junctions; Magnetic fields; multidisciplinary; Nanowires; Phase shift; Physics; Quantum dots; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Spin-orbit interactions; Spintronics; Superconducting quantum interference devices; Superconductivity
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-14094-1

In a standard Josephson junction the current is zero when the phase difference between superconducting leads is zero. This condition is protected by parity and time-reversal symmetries. However, the combined presence of spin–orbit coupling and magnetic field breaks these symmetries and can lead to a finite supercurrent even when the phase difference is zero. This is the so called anomalous Josephson effect—the hallmark effect of superconducting spintronics—which can be characterized by the corresponding anomalous phase shift. Here we report the observation of a tunable anomalous Josephson effect in InAs/Al Josephson junctions measured via a superconducting quantum interference device. By gate controlling the density of InAs, we are able to tune the spin–orbit coupling in the Josephson junction. This gives us the ability to tune the anomalous phase, and opens new opportunities for superconducting spintronics, and new possibilities for realizing and characterizing topological superconductivity.
The anomalous Josephson effect can be regarded as the hall-mark effect of superconducting spintronics. Here, the authors report the observation of a tunable anomalous Josephson effect in InAs/Al Josephson junctions measured via a superconducting quantum interference device.