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Rashba Splitting of Cooper Pairs
R I Shekhter1, O Entin-Wohlman2,3, M Jonson1,4
1Department of Physics, University of Gothenburg, SE-412 96 Göteborg, Sweden.
Physical Review Letters
|June 11, 2016
Summary
A novel superconducting weak link acts as a spin splitter, controlling Cooper pair tunneling via electric fields. This spin-orbit coupling effect influences Josephson current, offering new avenues in spintronics.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Quantum Mechanics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Superconducting weak links are crucial for quantum devices.
- Spin-orbit coupling (SOC) influences electron behavior in materials.
- Understanding Cooper pair transport in engineered systems is key for quantum technologies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To theoretically investigate the properties of a weak link with strong Rashba spin-orbit coupling.
- To explore the role of electric fields and mechanical strain on Cooper pair tunneling.
- To analyze the impact of spin-dependent transport channels on Josephson current.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical investigation of a nonsuperconducting nanowire weak link.
- Analysis within the Coulomb-blockade regime of single-electron tunneling.
- Modeling of Cooper pair transport through spin-split channels.
Main Results:
- The weak link functions as a "spin splitter" for tunneling Cooper pairs, dependent on electric field direction.
- Josephson current exhibits sensitivity to interference between spin-preserved and spin-flipped transmission channels.
- Current shows periodic dependence on spin-orbit interaction strength and nanowire bending angle or strain.
Conclusions:
- Engineered spin-orbit coupling in weak links can control and modulate Josephson currents.
- The observed spin-splitting and interference effects are unique to superconducting systems, unlike normal metal junctions.
- This work provides a theoretical basis for novel spintronic devices utilizing superconducting nanowires.
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