1. Two-dimensional epitaxial superconductor-semiconductor heterostructures: A platform for topological superconducting networks
- Author
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Shabani, J., Kjaergaard, M., Suominen, H. J., Kim, Younghyun, Nichele, F., Pakrouski, K., Stankevic, T., Lutchyn, R. M., Krogstrup, P., Feidenhans'l, R., Kraemer, S., Nayak, C., Troyer, M., Marcus, C. M., and Palmstrøm, C. J.
- Subjects
Condensed Matter - Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics - Abstract
Progress in the emergent field of topological superconductivity relies on synthesis of new material combinations, combining superconductivity, low density, and spin-orbit coupling (SOC). For example, theory [1-4] indicates that the interface between a one-dimensional (1D) semiconductor (Sm) with strong SOC and a superconductor (S) hosts Majorana modes with nontrivial topological properties [5-8]. Recently, epitaxial growth of Al on InAs nanowires was shown to yield a high quality S-Sm system with uniformly transparent interfaces [9] and a hard induced gap, indicted by strongly suppressed sub gap tunneling conductance [10]. Here we report the realization of a two-dimensional (2D) InAs/InGaAs heterostructure with epitaxial Al, yielding a planar S-Sm system with structural and transport characteristics as good as the epitaxial wires. The realization of 2D epitaxial S-Sm systems represent a significant advance over wires, allowing extended networks via top-down processing. Among numerous potential applications, this new material system can serve as a platform for complex networks of topological superconductors with gate-controlled Majorana zero modes [1-4]. We demonstrate gateable Josephson junctions and a highly transparent 2D S-Sm interface based on the product of excess current and normal state resistance.
- Published
- 2015
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