English

Shapiro Steps as a Direct Probe of $\pm s$-wave Symmetry in Multi-gap Superconducting Josephson Junctions

Superconductivity 2010-10-28 v2 Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics Strongly Correlated Electrons Quantum Physics

Abstract

We theoretically study the Shapiro steps in a hetero Josephson junction made of a single-gap superconductor and a two-gap one. We find that an anomalous DC Josephson current is induced by tuning the frequency of an applied microwave to the Josephson-Leggett mode frequency, which creates an extra step structure in the II-VV characteristics besides the conventional Shapiro steps. The step heights at the resonance voltages exhibit an alternate structure of a large and small value reflecting the gap symmetry of the two-gap superconductor. In the $\pm s-wave case in which the two gaps have opposite signs in the two-gap superconductor the steps with odd index are enhanced, whereas in the s-wave case the ones with even index have larger values. The existence of the fractional Shapiro steps is also predicted.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1006.2184,
  title  = {Shapiro Steps as a Direct Probe of $\pm s$-wave Symmetry in Multi-gap Superconducting Josephson Junctions},
  author = {Yukihiro Ota and Masahiko Machida and Tomio Koyama},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1006.2184},
  year   = {2010}
}

Comments

4 pages, 3 figures