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Diode effect in Josephson junctions with a single magnetic atom.


ABSTRACT: Current flow in electronic devices can be asymmetric with bias direction, a phenomenon underlying the utility of diodes1 and known as non-reciprocal charge transport2. The promise of dissipationless electronics has recently stimulated the quest for superconducting diodes, and non-reciprocal superconducting devices have been realized in various non-centrosymmetric systems3-10. Here we investigate the ultimate limits of miniaturization by creating atomic-scale Pb-Pb Josephson junctions in a scanning tunnelling microscope. Pristine junctions stabilized by a single Pb atom exhibit hysteretic behaviour, confirming the high quality of the junctions, but no asymmetry between the bias directions. Non-reciprocal supercurrents emerge when inserting a single magnetic atom into the junction, with the preferred direction depending on the atomic species. Aided by theoretical modelling, we trace the non-reciprocity to quasiparticle currents flowing by means of electron-hole asymmetric Yu-Shiba-Rusinov states inside the superconducting energy gap and identify a new mechanism for diode behaviour in Josephson junctions. Our results open new avenues for creating atomic-scale Josephson diodes and tuning their properties through single-atom manipulation.

SUBMITTER: Trahms M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10033399 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Current flow in electronic devices can be asymmetric with bias direction, a phenomenon underlying the utility of diodes<sup>1</sup> and known as non-reciprocal charge transport<sup>2</sup>. The promise of dissipationless electronics has recently stimulated the quest for superconducting diodes, and non-reciprocal superconducting devices have been realized in various non-centrosymmetric systems<sup>3-10</sup>. Here we investigate the ultimate limits of miniaturization by creating atomic-scale Pb-P  ...[more]

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