Title
Confinement-induced zero-bias peaks in conventional superconductor hybrids
Date Issued
01 October 2021
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Uppsala University
Publisher(s)
American Physical Society
Abstract
Majorana bound states in topological superconductors have been predicted to appear in the form of zero-bias conductance peaks of height , which represents one of the most studied signatures so far. Here, we show that quasi-zero-energy states, similar to Majorana bound states, can naturally form in any superconducting hybrid junction due to confinement effects, in the absence of spin fields and, thus, without relation to topology. Remarkably, these topologically trivial quasi-zero-energy states produce zero-bias conductance peaks, that could be similar to Majorana signatures, but develop a different peak height () and are less stable under gating or depletion of the confined region. Our results put forward confinement as an alternative mechanism to explain the ubiquitous presence of trivial zero-bias peaks and quasi-zero-energy states in superconductor hybrids.
Volume
104
Issue
13
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Física de partículas, Campos de la Física
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85116777094
Source
Physical Review B
ISSN of the container
24699950
Sponsor(s)
We thank A. M. Black-Schaffer, T. M. Klapwijk, and A. Levy Yeyati for insightful discussions. J.C. acknowledges support from C.F. Liljewalchs stipendiestiftelse Foundation, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation through the Wallenberg Academy Fellows program, and the EU-COST Action CA-16218 Nanocohybri. P. B. acknowledges support from the Spanish CM “Talento Program” Project No. 2019-T1/IND-14088 and the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación Grant No. PID2020-117992GA-I00. C.F. Liljewalchs stipendiestiftelse Foundation Knut och Alice Wallenbergs Stiftelse Comunidad de Madrid Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovaci?n
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus