Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 14, 2025
05:39
Scalable Quantum Integrated Circuits on Superconducting Two-Dimensional Electron Gas Platform
Published on: August 2, 2019
9.8K
Gate-Controlled Supercurrent in Epitaxial Al/InAs Nanowires
Tosson Elalaily1,2, Olivér Kürtössy1, Zoltán Scherübl1,3
1Department of Physics and Nanoelectronics "Momentum" Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budafoki ut 8, 1111 Budapest, Hungary.
Nano Letters
|November 2, 2021
Summary
We demonstrate gate-controlled supercurrent switching in epitaxial aluminum on InAs nanowires. Our findings suggest non-equilibrium phonons, not electric fields, may explain this superconducting switch mechanism.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Gate-controlled supercurrent (GCS) is crucial for superconducting switches.
- The underlying microscopic mechanism of GCS remains debated.
- Superconducting nanobridges are key components in emerging electronic devices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To realize and investigate GCS in a novel material system.
- To explore the mechanism behind gate-induced supercurrent modulation.
- To contribute to the understanding of fundamental superconducting phenomena.
Main Methods:
- Epitaxial growth of aluminum on InAs nanowires.
- Fabrication of gate-tunable superconducting devices.
- Systematic measurements of temperature and magnetic field dependencies.
Main Results:
- Achieved GCS in epitaxial Al on InAs nanowire for the first time.
- Demonstrated switching of supercurrent to the normal state using a gate voltage of ~±23 V.
- Ruled out simple electric field effects as the primary GCS mechanism.
- Found experimental data consistent with a non-equilibrium phonon model.
Conclusions:
- The study presents a new platform for GCS research.
- Results challenge conventional electric field-driven mechanisms for GCS.
- Non-equilibrium phonons emerge as a plausible explanation for observed GCS.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Biasing of Metal-Semiconductor Junctions
363
Biasing metal-semiconductor junctions involves applying a voltage across the junction. Specifically, the metal is connected to a voltage source, while the semiconductor is grounded. This technique is essential for controlling the direction and magnitude of current flow in electronic devices, including diodes, transistors, and photovoltaic cells.
In Schottky junctions, where the semiconductor is n-type, applying a positive voltage to the metal relative to the semiconductor reduces its Fermi...
In Schottky junctions, where the semiconductor is n-type, applying a positive voltage to the metal relative to the semiconductor reduces its Fermi...
363
01:22Biasing of FET
389
Biasing a Junction Field Effect Transistor (JFET) is crucial for setting operational parameters and ensuring efficient functioning in electronic circuits. JFETs are characterized by using a single carrier type in N-channel or P-channel configurations, where the channel is surrounded by PN junctions. These junctions are central to the device's ability to control current flow.
In an N-channel JFET, the structure consists of N-type material forming the channel on a P-type substrate, with the...
In an N-channel JFET, the structure consists of N-type material forming the channel on a P-type substrate, with the...
389
01:16Biasing of P-N Junction
1.1K
The operation of a p-n junction diode involves various biasing conditions, including forward bias, reverse bias, and equilibrium.
In equilibrium, no external voltage is applied across the p-n junction. The depletion region is formed at the junction interface due to the diffusion of carriers, which leaves behind charged dopants, acceptors on the p-side, and donors on the n-side. These immobile charges create an electric field that prevents further diffusion of carriers. The related energy band...
In equilibrium, no external voltage is applied across the p-n junction. The depletion region is formed at the junction interface due to the diffusion of carriers, which leaves behind charged dopants, acceptors on the p-side, and donors on the n-side. These immobile charges create an electric field that prevents further diffusion of carriers. The related energy band...
1.1K
01:11P-N junction
749
A p-n junction is formed when p-type and n-type semiconductor materials are joined together. At the interface of the p-n junction, holes from the p-side and electrons from the n-side begin to diffuse into the opposite sides due to the concentration gradient. This diffusion of carriers leads to a region around the junction where there are no free charge carriers, known as the depletion region. The charge density within the depletion region for the n-side and p-side can be described by the...
749
01:27Controlled-Current Coulometry: Overview
375
Controlled current coulometry, also known as amperostatic coulometry, is a technique used in electrochemical analysis to measure the quantity of a substance through the controlled passage of current. It involves the application of a constant current to an electrochemical cell containing the analyte of interest. As the current flows through the cell, the analyte undergoes a redox reaction at the electrode surface, resulting in a charge transfer. By monitoring the time required for a certain...
375