No Arabic abstract
Electrons in a Dirac semimetals possess linear dispersion in all three spatial dimensions, and form part of a developing platform of novel quantum materials. Bi$_{1-x}$Sb$_x$ supports a three-dimensional Dirac cone at the Sb-induced band inversion point. Nanoscale phase-sensitive junction technology is used to induce superconductivity in this Dirac semimetal. Radio frequency irradiation experiments reveal a significant contribution of 4$pi$-periodic Andreev bound states to the supercurrent in Nb-Bi$_{0.97}$Sb$_{0.03}$-Nb Josephson junctions. The conditions for a substantial $4pi$ contribution to the supercurrent are favourable because of the Dirac cones topological protection against backscattering, providing very broad transmission resonances. The large g-factor of the Zeeman effect from a magnetic field applied in the plane of the junction, allows tuning of the Josephson junctions from 0 to $pi$ regimes.
We propose a scheme to detect the Majorana bound states (MBSs) by a thermodynamically stable D.C. Josephson current with $4pi$-periodicity in the superconducting phase difference, which is distinct from the previous A.C. $4pi$-periodicity found in topological superconducting Josephson junctions. The scheme, consisting of a quantum dot coupled to two s-wave superconducting leads and a floating topological superconductor supporting two MBSs at its ends, only exploits the interplay of a local Zeeman field and the exotic helical and self-Hermitian properties of MBSs, without requiring the conservation of fermion parity and not relying on the zero-energy property of MBSs. Our D.C. $4pi$-periodicity is thus robust against the overlap between the two MBSs and various system parameters, including the local Coulomb interaction, the tunneling asymmetry, and the width of superconducting gap, which facilitates experimentally detection of the MBSs.
The energy spectrum of cake shape normal - superconducting systems is calculated by solving the Bogoliubov-de Gennes equation. We take into account the mismatch in the effective masses and Fermi energies of the normal and superconducting regions as well as the potential barrier at the interface. In the case of a perfect interface and without mismatch, the energy levels are treated by semi-classics. Analytical expressions for the density of states and its integral, the step function, are derived and compared with that obtained from exact numerics. We find a very good agreement between the two calculations. It is shown that the spectrum possesses an energy gap and the density of states is singular at the edge of the gap. The effect of the mismatch and the potential barrier on the gap is also investigated.
Andreev bound states are an expression of quantum coherence between particles and holes in hybrid structures composed of superconducting and non-superconducting metallic parts. Their spectrum carries important information on the nature of the pairing, and determines the current in Josephson devices. Here I give a short review on Andreev bound states in systems involving superconductors and ferromagnets with strong spin-polarization. I show how the processes of spin-dependent scattering phase shifts and of triplet rotation influence Andreev point contact spectra, and provide a general framework for non-local Andreev phenomena in such structures in terms of coherence functions. Finally, I demonstrate how the concept of coherence functions cross-links wave-function and Green-function based theories, by showing that coherence functions fulfilling the equations of motion for quasiclassical Green functions can be used to derive a set of generalised Andreev equations.
We calcuate electronic spin susceptibility and spin-lattice relaxation rate in singlet superconductor near a pairbreaking surface, or in a domain wall of the order parameter. We directly link presence of high-density Andreev bound states in the inhomogeneous region, combined with coherence factors, to enhancement of the susceptibility above the normal states value for certain $bf q$ vectors. Beside the dominant peak at ferromagnetic vector $q=0$, we find significant enhancement of antiferromagnetic correlations at vectors $qlesssim 2 k_f$, with $bf q$ $along$ the domain wall in $S$-wave superconductor, and $across$ domain wall in $D$-wave (nodes along the wall). These features are destroyed by applying moderate Zeeman field that splits the zero-energy peak. We solve Bogoliubov-de Gennes equations in momentum space and our results deviate from the lattice models investigated previously. Large enhancement of the spin-lattice relaxation rate $T_1^{-1}$ at the domain wall provides clear signature of the quasiparticle bound states, and is in good agreement with recent experiment in organic superconductor $kappa$-(BEDT-TTF)$_2$Cu(NCS)$_2$.
The theory of Andreev conductance is formulated for junctions involving normal metals (N) and multiband superconductors (S) and applied to the case of superconductors with nodeless extended $s_{pm}$-wave order parameter symmetry, as possibly realized in the recently discovered ferro pnictides. We find qualitative differences from tunneling into s-wave or d-wave superconductors that may help to identify such a state. First, interband interference leads to a suppression of Andreev reflection in the case of a highly transparent N/S interface and to a current deficit in the tunneling regime. Second, surface bound states may appear, both at zero and at non-zero energies. These effects do not occur in multiband superconductors without interband sign reversal, though the interference can still strongly modify the conductance spectra.