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Gao YM, Xiao H, Jiang MH, Chi F, Yi ZC, Liu LM. Josephson Diode Effect in Parallel-Coupled Double-Quantum Dots Connected to Unalike Majorana Nanowires. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 14:1251. [PMID: 39120356 PMCID: PMC11314297 DOI: 10.3390/nano14151251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2024] [Revised: 07/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
We study theoretically the Josephson diode effect (JDE) when realized in a system composed of parallel-coupled double-quantum dots (DQDs) sandwiched between two semiconductor nanowires deposited on an s-wave superconductor surface. Due to the combined effects of proximity-induced superconductivity, strong Rashba spin-orbit interaction, and the Zeeman splitting inside the nanowires, a pair of Majorana bound states (MBSs) may possibly emerge at opposite ends of each nanowire. Different phase factors arising from the superconductor substrate can be generated in the coupling amplitudes between the DQDs and MBSs prepared at the left and right nanowires, and this will result in the Josephson current. We find that the critical Josephson currents in positive and negative directions are different from each other in amplitude within an oscillation period with respect to the magnetic flux penetrating through the system, a phenomenon known as the JDE. It arises from the quantum interference effect in this double-path device, and it can hardly occur in the system of one QD coupled to MBSs. Our results also show that the diode efficiency can reach up to 50%, but this depends on the overlap amplitude between the MBSs, as well as the energy levels of the DQDs adjustable by gate voltages. The present model is realizable within current nanofabrication technologies and may find practical use in the interdisciplinary field of Majorana and Josephson physics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Mei Gao
- School of Electronic and Information Engineering, UEST of China, Zhongshan Institute, Zhongshan 528400, China; (Y.-M.G.); (Z.-C.Y.); (L.-M.L.)
| | - Hu Xiao
- Zhongshan Zhuoman Microelectronics Co., Ltd., Zhongshan 528400, China;
| | - Mou-Hua Jiang
- South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China;
| | - Feng Chi
- School of Electronic and Information Engineering, UEST of China, Zhongshan Institute, Zhongshan 528400, China; (Y.-M.G.); (Z.-C.Y.); (L.-M.L.)
| | - Zi-Chuan Yi
- School of Electronic and Information Engineering, UEST of China, Zhongshan Institute, Zhongshan 528400, China; (Y.-M.G.); (Z.-C.Y.); (L.-M.L.)
| | - Li-Ming Liu
- School of Electronic and Information Engineering, UEST of China, Zhongshan Institute, Zhongshan 528400, China; (Y.-M.G.); (Z.-C.Y.); (L.-M.L.)
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Gao Y, Zhang X, Yi Z, Liu L, Chi F. Thermophase Seebeck Coefficient in Hybridized Superconductor-Quantum-Dot-Superconductor Josephson Junction Side-Coupled to Majorana Nanowire. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:2489. [PMID: 37686996 PMCID: PMC10490436 DOI: 10.3390/nano13172489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
The dc Josephson current is generated from phase difference between two superconductors separated by a mesoscopic thin film (Josephson junction) without external bias voltage. In the presence of a temperature gradient across the superconductors, a thermal phase is induced under the condition of open circuit. This is very similar to the Seebeck effect in the usual thermoelectric effect, and the thermal phase is thus named as thermophase Seebeck coefficient (TPSC). Here we find obvious enhancement and sign change of the TPSC unique to the Josephson junction composing of two superconductors connected to a semiconductor quantum dot (QD), which is additionally side-coupled to a nanowire hosting Majorana bound states (MBSs), the system denoted by S-MQD-S. These result arise from the newly developed states near the Fermi level of the superconductors due to the QD-MBS hybridization when the dot level is within the superconducting gap. The sign change of the TPSC provides a strong evidence of the existence of MBSs, and is absent if the QD is coupled to regular fermion, such as another QD (system denoted by S-DQD-S). We show that the magnitude and sign of the TPSC are sensitive to the physical quantities including interaction strength between the QD and MBSs, direct overlap between the MBSs, system equilibrium temperature, as well as hopping amplitude between the QD and the superconductors. The obtained results are explained with the help of the current-carrying density of the states (CCDOS), and may be useful in interdisciplinary research areas of Josephson and Majorana physics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumei Gao
- School of Electronic and Information Engineering, UEST of China, Zhongshan Institute, Zhongshan 528400, China; (Y.G.); (Z.Y.); (L.L.)
| | - Xiaoyan Zhang
- College of Science, North China Institute of Science and Technology, Beijing 101601, China
| | - Zichuan Yi
- School of Electronic and Information Engineering, UEST of China, Zhongshan Institute, Zhongshan 528400, China; (Y.G.); (Z.Y.); (L.L.)
| | - Liming Liu
- School of Electronic and Information Engineering, UEST of China, Zhongshan Institute, Zhongshan 528400, China; (Y.G.); (Z.Y.); (L.L.)
| | - Feng Chi
- School of Electronic and Information Engineering, UEST of China, Zhongshan Institute, Zhongshan 528400, China; (Y.G.); (Z.Y.); (L.L.)
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Máthé L, Kovács-Krausz Z, Botiz I, Grosu I, El Anouz K, El Allati A, Zârbo LP. Phonon-Assisted Tunneling through Quantum Dot Systems Connected to Majorana Bound States. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:nano13101616. [PMID: 37242032 DOI: 10.3390/nano13101616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
We theoretically analyze phonon-assisted tunneling transport in a quantum dot side connected to a Majorana bound state in a topological superconducting nanowire. We investigate the behavior of the current through the dot, for a range of experimentally relevant parameters, in the presence of one long-wave optical phonon mode. We consider the current-gate voltage, the current-bias voltage and the current-dot-Majorana coupling characteristics under the influence of the electron-phonon coupling. In the absence of electron-phonon interaction, the Majorana bound states suppress the current when the gate voltage matches the Fermi level, but the increase in the bias voltage counteracts this effect. In the presence of electron-phonon coupling, the current behaves similarly as a function of the renormalized gate voltage. As an added feature at large bias voltages, it presents a dip or a plateau, depending on the size of the dot-Majorana coupling. Lastly, we show that the currents are most sensitive to, and depend non-trivially on the parameters of the Majorana circuit element, in the regime of low temperatures combined with low voltages. Our results provide insights into the complex physics of quantum dot devices used to probe Majorana bound states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Levente Máthé
- Center of Advanced Research and Technologies for Alternative Energies, National Institute for R & D of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, 67-103 Donat, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Faculty of Physics, Babeș-Bolyai University, 1 Kogălniceanu, 400084 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Zoltán Kovács-Krausz
- Department of Physics, Institute of Physics, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Műegyetem rkp. 3, H-1111 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ioan Botiz
- Faculty of Physics, Babeș-Bolyai University, 1 Kogălniceanu, 400084 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Interdisciplinary Research Institute in Bio-Nano-Sciences, Babeș-Bolyai University, 42 Treboniu Laurian, 400271 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Ioan Grosu
- Faculty of Physics, Babeș-Bolyai University, 1 Kogălniceanu, 400084 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Khadija El Anouz
- Laboratory of R & D in Engineering Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques Al-Hoceima, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Tetouan 93000, Morocco
| | - Abderrahim El Allati
- Laboratory of R & D in Engineering Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques Al-Hoceima, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Tetouan 93000, Morocco
| | - Liviu P Zârbo
- Center of Advanced Research and Technologies for Alternative Energies, National Institute for R & D of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, 67-103 Donat, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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Chi F, Jia QS, Liu J, Gao QG, Yi ZC, Liu LM. Enhancement of the Josephson Current in a Quantum Dot Connected to Majorana Nanowires. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:nano13091482. [PMID: 37177026 PMCID: PMC10179805 DOI: 10.3390/nano13091482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
We investigate the behavior of the Josephson current in a system composed of a quantum dot (QD) sandwiched between two nanowires by using the nonequilibrium Green's function technique. We consider that the nanowires are in proximity to s-wave superconducror substrates, and Majorana bound states (MBSs) are induced at their ends. It is also assumed that the two nanowires are not aligned in the same orientation, but form a bent angle with respect to each other. It is found that when only one spin state on the QD is coupled to the left nanowire, the Josephson current is the typical sinusoidal function of the phase difference between the two nanowires. If both spin states hybridize to the MBSs with equal coupling strengths, the Josephson current then is not a sinusoidal function of the phase difference. In particular, when the bent angle between the two nanowires is π/2 and the two modes of the MBSs in each nanowire are decoupled from each other, the Josephson current is enhanced by about twenty times in magnitude as compared to the former case. Moreover, the simultaneously enhanced currents of the two spin directions are of the same magnitude but flow in opposite directions and they induce a large pure spin current. Our results also show that this abnormally enhanced Josephson current will be suppressed by a vertical magnetic field applied to the QD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Chi
- School of Electronic and Information Engineering, UEST of China, Zhongshan Institute, Zhongshan 528400, China
| | - Qiang-Sheng Jia
- School of Electronic and Information Engineering, UEST of China, Zhongshan Institute, Zhongshan 528400, China
| | - Jia Liu
- School of Science, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou 014010, China
| | - Qing-Guo Gao
- School of Electronic and Information Engineering, UEST of China, Zhongshan Institute, Zhongshan 528400, China
| | - Zi-Chuan Yi
- School of Electronic and Information Engineering, UEST of China, Zhongshan Institute, Zhongshan 528400, China
| | - Li-Ming Liu
- School of Electronic and Information Engineering, UEST of China, Zhongshan Institute, Zhongshan 528400, China
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