We investigate the subgap bulk transport through short and wide superconducting hybrid structures based on HgTe quantum wells (QWs). We show that the differential conductance of a normal metal-insulator-superconductor (NIS) proximity structure behaves in a qualitatively different way with respect to the topological phase of the HgTe QW. We compare the differential conductance for the NIS structure within the wave-matching method based on the Bogoliubov-de Gennes equation and the matrix method based on the normal-state scattering matrix and find that the two models agree for highly-doped N and S contacts. We also show that the effect of a possible Rashba spin-orbit interaction on the differential conductance can be significant for weakly doped N and S contacts. Our findings should be important in samples with a large aspect ratio where bulk contributions in transport are dominant.
We analyze thermally induced spin and charge transport in HgTe/CdTe quantum wells on the basis of the numerical non-equilibrium Greens function technique in the linear response regime. In the topologically non-trivial regime, we find a clear signature of the gap of the edge states due to their finite overlap from opposite sample boundaries -- both in the charge Seebeck and spin Nernst signal. We are able to fully understand the physical origin of the thermoelectric transport signatures of edge and bulk states based on simple analytical models. Interestingly, we derive that the spin Nernst signal is related to the spin Hall conductance by a Mott-like relation which is exact to all orders in the temperature difference between the warm and the cold reservoir.
We present measurements of the transport properties of hybrid structures consisting of a Kondo AuFe film and a superconducting Al film. The temperature dependence of the resistance indicates the existence of the superconducting proximity effect in the Kondo AuFe wires over the range of $sim0.5$ $mu$m. Electronic phase coherence in the Kondo AuFe wires has been confirmed by observing the Aharanov-Bohm effect in the magnetoresistance of the loop structure. The amplitude of the magnetoresistance oscillations shows a reentrant behavior with a maximum at $sim$ 870 mK, which results from an interplay between the Kondo effect and the superconducting proximity effect.
We report on the observation of the terahertz radiation induced circular (CPGE) and linear (LPGE) photogalvanic effects in HgTe quantum wells. The current response is well described by the phenomenological theory of CPGE and LPGE.
We study quantum transport in HgTe/HgCdTe quantum wells under the condition that the chemical potential is located outside of the bandgap. We first analyze symmetry properties of the effective Bernevig-Hughes-Zhang Hamiltonian and the relevant symmetry-breaking perturbations. Based on this analysis, we overview possible patterns of symmetry breaking that govern the quantum interference (weak localization or weak antilocalization) correction to the conductivity in two dimensional HgTe/HgCdTe samples. Further, we perform a microscopic calculation of the quantum correction beyond the diffusion approximation. Finally, the interference correction and the low-field magnetoresistance in a quasi-one-dimensional geometry are analyzed.
We investigate an effective low energy theory of HgTe quantum wells near their mass inversion thickness in a perpendicular magnetic field. By comparison of the effective band structure with a more elaborated and well-established model, the parameter regime and the validity of the effective model is scrutinized. Optical transitions in HgTe quantum wells are analyzed. We find selection rules which we functionalize to optically manipulate edge state transport. Qualitatively, our findings equally apply to optical edge current manipulation in graphene.