Control of nonreciprocal charge transport in topological insulator/superconductor heterostructures with Fermi level tuning and superconducting-layer thickness

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Main Authors: Nagahama, Soma, Sato, Yuki, Kawamura, Minoru, Belopolski, Ilya, Yoshimi, Ryutaro, Tsukazaki, Atsushi, Kanazawa, Naoya, Takahashi, Kei S, Kawasaki, Masashi, Tokura, Yoshinori
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Nagahama, Soma
Sato, Yuki
Kawamura, Minoru
Belopolski, Ilya
Yoshimi, Ryutaro
Tsukazaki, Atsushi
Kanazawa, Naoya
Takahashi, Kei S
Kawasaki, Masashi
Tokura, Yoshinori
author_facet Nagahama, Soma
Sato, Yuki
Kawamura, Minoru
Belopolski, Ilya
Yoshimi, Ryutaro
Tsukazaki, Atsushi
Kanazawa, Naoya
Takahashi, Kei S
Kawasaki, Masashi
Tokura, Yoshinori
contents Nonreciprocal charge transport (NCT) is defined as a phenomenon where electrical resistance depends on the current direction. It has been drawing much attention because it sensitively reflects the symmetry breaking of material systems. A topological insulator (TI)/superconductor (SC) heterostructure where the topological surface state (TSS) of the TI layer is proximitized with the SC layer is one such system that presents a sizable NCT due to a large spin-orbit coupling and superconductivity. Here, we report a control of the magnitude and sign of NCT: reversal of the direction of NCT by tuning the Fermi energy of TSS of the TI layer with respect to the charge neutral point by systematic regulation of Sb composition $x$ in a TI/SC heterostructures of (Bi$_{1-x}$Sb$_x$)$_2$Te$_3$/FeSe$_{0.1}$Te$_{0.9}$. The result is consistent with the model of a TSS proximitized with superconductivity. Furthermore, we find a significant enhancement of the magnitude of NCT in the TI/SC heterostructures by reducing the thickness of the SC layer. The enhancement can be ascribed to the inversion-symmetry breaking of the FeSe$_{0.1}$Te$_{0.9}$ SC-layer itself adjacent to the TI layer. Our results highlight the essential role of the TSS for exhibiting NCT and offer new knobs to control the direction and magnitude of NCT.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2507_08300
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Control of nonreciprocal charge transport in topological insulator/superconductor heterostructures with Fermi level tuning and superconducting-layer thickness
Nagahama, Soma
Sato, Yuki
Kawamura, Minoru
Belopolski, Ilya
Yoshimi, Ryutaro
Tsukazaki, Atsushi
Kanazawa, Naoya
Takahashi, Kei S
Kawasaki, Masashi
Tokura, Yoshinori
Superconductivity
Nonreciprocal charge transport (NCT) is defined as a phenomenon where electrical resistance depends on the current direction. It has been drawing much attention because it sensitively reflects the symmetry breaking of material systems. A topological insulator (TI)/superconductor (SC) heterostructure where the topological surface state (TSS) of the TI layer is proximitized with the SC layer is one such system that presents a sizable NCT due to a large spin-orbit coupling and superconductivity. Here, we report a control of the magnitude and sign of NCT: reversal of the direction of NCT by tuning the Fermi energy of TSS of the TI layer with respect to the charge neutral point by systematic regulation of Sb composition $x$ in a TI/SC heterostructures of (Bi$_{1-x}$Sb$_x$)$_2$Te$_3$/FeSe$_{0.1}$Te$_{0.9}$. The result is consistent with the model of a TSS proximitized with superconductivity. Furthermore, we find a significant enhancement of the magnitude of NCT in the TI/SC heterostructures by reducing the thickness of the SC layer. The enhancement can be ascribed to the inversion-symmetry breaking of the FeSe$_{0.1}$Te$_{0.9}$ SC-layer itself adjacent to the TI layer. Our results highlight the essential role of the TSS for exhibiting NCT and offer new knobs to control the direction and magnitude of NCT.
title Control of nonreciprocal charge transport in topological insulator/superconductor heterostructures with Fermi level tuning and superconducting-layer thickness
topic Superconductivity
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.08300