Fractional ac Josephson effect as evidence of topological hinge states in a Dirac semimetal NiTe2

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Autori principali: Kazmin, D. Yu., Esin, V. D., Timonina, A. V., Kolesnikov, N. N., Deviatov, E. V.
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2024
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author Kazmin, D. Yu.
Esin, V. D.
Timonina, A. V.
Kolesnikov, N. N.
Deviatov, E. V.
author_facet Kazmin, D. Yu.
Esin, V. D.
Timonina, A. V.
Kolesnikov, N. N.
Deviatov, E. V.
contents We experimentally investigate Josephson current between two 5~$μ$m spaced superconducting indium leads, coupled to a NiTe$_2$ single crystal flake, which is a type-II Dirac semimetal. Under microwave irradiation, we demonstrate a.c. Josephson effect at millikelvin temperatures as a number of Shapiro steps. In addition to the integer ($n=1,2,3,4...$) steps, we observe fractional ones at half-integer values $n=1/2,3/2,5/2$ and 7/2, which corresponds to $π$ periodicity of current-phase relationship. In contrast to previous investigations, we do not observe $4π$ periodicity (disappearance of the odd $n=1,3,5...$ Shapiro steps), while the latter is usually considered as a fingerprint of helical surface states in Dirac semimetals and topological insulators. We argue, that our experiment confirms Josephson current through the topological hinge states in NiTe$_2$: since one can exclude bulk supercurrent in 5~$μ$m long Josephson junctions, interference of the hinge modes is responsible for the $π$ periodicity, while stable odd Shapiro steps reflect chiral character of the topological hinge states.
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id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2404_17920
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Fractional ac Josephson effect as evidence of topological hinge states in a Dirac semimetal NiTe2
Kazmin, D. Yu.
Esin, V. D.
Timonina, A. V.
Kolesnikov, N. N.
Deviatov, E. V.
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Superconductivity
We experimentally investigate Josephson current between two 5~$μ$m spaced superconducting indium leads, coupled to a NiTe$_2$ single crystal flake, which is a type-II Dirac semimetal. Under microwave irradiation, we demonstrate a.c. Josephson effect at millikelvin temperatures as a number of Shapiro steps. In addition to the integer ($n=1,2,3,4...$) steps, we observe fractional ones at half-integer values $n=1/2,3/2,5/2$ and 7/2, which corresponds to $π$ periodicity of current-phase relationship. In contrast to previous investigations, we do not observe $4π$ periodicity (disappearance of the odd $n=1,3,5...$ Shapiro steps), while the latter is usually considered as a fingerprint of helical surface states in Dirac semimetals and topological insulators. We argue, that our experiment confirms Josephson current through the topological hinge states in NiTe$_2$: since one can exclude bulk supercurrent in 5~$μ$m long Josephson junctions, interference of the hinge modes is responsible for the $π$ periodicity, while stable odd Shapiro steps reflect chiral character of the topological hinge states.
title Fractional ac Josephson effect as evidence of topological hinge states in a Dirac semimetal NiTe2
topic Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Superconductivity
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2404.17920