Competitive helical bands and highly efficient diode effect in F/S/TI/S/F hybrid structures
Tairzhan Karabassov1, Irina V Bobkova1,2, Pavel M Marychev1
1HSE University, 101000 Moscow, Russia.
Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology
|January 14, 2026
Summary
Researchers designed a novel superconducting diode with tunable polarity and high efficiency. This mesoscopic device utilizes two superconducting islands on a topological insulator, offering controllable current flow for advanced electronic applications.
Area of Science:
- Condensed matter physics
- Quantum electronics
- Materials science
Background:
- The superconducting diode effect, enabling non-reciprocal current flow, is a key area of research.
- Existing devices often lack tunable polarity or high efficiency.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose and theoretically investigate a novel mesoscopic superconducting device exhibiting a tunable-polarity diode effect.
- To achieve high efficiency in superconducting diode operation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the quasiclassical formalism of the Usadel equations.
- Modeled a device comprising two superconducting islands with proximity-induced ferromagnetism on a 3D topological insulator.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated controllable polarity of the diode efficiency via magnetization tuning of a single superconducting island.
- Showed a substantial increase in diode efficiency.
- Attributed efficiency enhancement to competing supercurrent contributions from the two islands, linked via topological insulator surface states.
Conclusions:
- The proposed device offers a promising platform for highly efficient superconducting diodes with controllable polarity.
- The design leverages the unique properties of topological insulators and proximity-induced ferromagnetism.
Keywords:
hybrid structuresproximity effectsuperconducting diode effectsuperconductivitytopological insulatorsMore Related Videos
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