Negative local superfluid densities: The difference between dirty superconductors and dirty Bose liquids

The observation of π-shifts in the Little-Parks effect in 4Hb-TaS2

Finding evidence of non-trivial pairing states is one of the greatest experimental challenges in the field of unconventional superconductivity. Such evidence requires phase-sensitive probes susceptible to the internal structure of the order parameter. We report the measurement of the Little-Parks effect in the unconventional superconductor candidate 4Hb-TaS2. In half of our rings, which are fabricated from single-crystals, we find a π-shift in the transition-temperature oscillations. According to theory, such a π-shift is only possible if the order parameter is non-s-wave. In the absence of crystallographic defects, the shift provides evidence of a multi-component order parameter. Thus, this observation increases the likelihood of the two-component order parameter scenario in 4Hb-TaS2. Furthermore, we show that Tc is enhanced as a function of the out-of-plane field when a constant in-plane field is applied, which we explain using a two-component order-parameter.

Supercurrent in the Presence of Direct Transmission and a Resonant Localized State

We study the current-phase relation (CPR) of an InSb-Al nanowire Josephson junction in parallel magnetic fields up to 700 mT. At high magnetic fields and in narrow voltage intervals of a gate under the junction, the CPR exhibits π shifts. The supercurrent declines within these gate intervals and shows asymmetric gate voltage dependence above and below them. We detect these features sometimes also at zero magnetic field. The observed CPR properties are reproduced by a theoretical model of supercurrent transport via interference between direct transmission and a resonant localized state.

Josephson Junction π-0 Transition Induced by Orbital Hybridization in a Double Quantum Dot

In this Letter, we manipulate the phase shift of a Josephson junction using a parallel double quantum dot (QD). By employing a superconducting quantum interference device, we determine how orbital hybridization and detuning affect the current-phase relation in the Coulomb blockade regime. For weak hybridization between the QDs, we find π junction characteristics if at least one QD has an unpaired electron. Notably the critical current is higher when both QDs have an odd electron occupation. By increasing the inter-QD hybridization the critical current is reduced, until eventually a π-0 transition occurs. A similar transition appears when detuning the QD levels at finite hybridization. Based on a zero-bandwidth model, we argue that both cases of phase-shift transitions can be understood considering an increased weight of states with a double occupancy in the ground state and with the Cooper pair transport dominated by local Andreev reflection.

Spectroscopy of Spin-Split Andreev Levels in a Quantum Dot with Superconducting Leads

We use a hybrid superconductor-semiconductor transmon device to perform spectroscopy of a quantum dot Josephson junction tuned to be in a spin-1/2 ground state with an unpaired quasiparticle. Because of spin-orbit coupling, we resolve two flux-sensitive branches in the transmon spectrum, depending on the spin of the quasiparticle. A finite magnetic field shifts the two branches in energy, favoring one spin state and resulting in the anomalous Josephson effect. We demonstrate the excitation of the direct spin-flip transition using all-electrical control. Manipulation and control of the spin-flip transition enable the future implementation of charging energy protected Andreev spin qubits.

Josephson Diode Effect in Supercurrent Interferometers

A Josephson diode is a nonreciprocal circuit element that supports a larger dissipationless supercurrent in one direction than in the other. In this Letter, we propose a class of Josephson diodes based on supercurrent interferometers composed of Andreev bound state Josephson junctions or interacting quantum dot Josephson junctions, which are not diodes themselves but possess nonsinusoidal current-phase relations. We show that such Josephson diodes have several important advantages, like being electrically tunable and requiring only time-reversal breaking by a magnetic flux. We also show that our diodes have a characteristic ac response, revealed by the Shapiro steps. Even the simplest realization of our Josephson diode paradigm that relies on only two junctions can achieve efficiencies of up to ∼40% and, interestingly, far greater efficiencies are achievable by concatenating interferometer loops. We hope that our Letter will stimulate the search for highly tunable Josephson diode effects in Josephson devices based semiconductor-superconductor hybrids, 2d materials, and topological insulators, where nonsinusoidal current-phase relations were recently observed.

Proposal for Detection of the 0^{'} and π^{'} Phases in Quantum-Dot Josephson Junctions

The competition between the Kondo correlation and superconductivity in quantum-dot Josephson junctions (QDJJs) has been known to drive a quantum phase transition between 0 and π junctions. Theoretical studies so far have predicted that under strong Coulomb correlations the 0-π transition should go through intermediate states, 0^{'} and π^{'} phases. By combining a nonperturbative numerical method and the resistively shunted junction model, we investigated the magnetic-field-driven phase transition of the QDJJs in the Kondo regime and found that the low-field magnetotransport exhibits a unique feature which can be used to distinguish the intermediate phases. In particular, the magnetic-field driven π^{'}-π transition is found to lead to the enhancement of the supercurrent which is strongly related to the Kondo effect.

Microstructure and Anisotropic Order Parameter of Boron-Doped Nanocrystalline Diamond Films

Unconventional superconductivity in heavily boron-doped nanocrystalline diamond films (HBDDF) produced a significant amount of interest. However, the exact pairing mechanism has not been understood due to a lack of understanding of crystal symmetry, which is broken at the grain boundaries. The superconducting order parameter (Δ) of HBDDF is believed to be anisotropic since boron atoms form a complex structure with carbon and introduce spin-orbit coupling to the diamond system. From ultra-high resolution transmission electron microscopy, the internal symmetry of the grain boundary structure of HBDDF is revealed, which can explain these films’ unconventional superconducting transport features. Here, we show the signature of the anisotropic Δ in HBDDF by breaking the structural symmetry in a layered microstructure, enabling a Rashba-type spin-orbit coupling. The superlattice-like structure in diamond describes a modulation that explains strong insulator peak features observed in temperature-dependent resistance, a transition of the magnetic field-dependent resistance, and their oscillatory, as well as angle-dependent, features. Overall, the interface states of the diamond films can be explained by the well-known Shockley model describing the layers connected by vortex-like structures, hence forming a topologically protected system.

Supercurrent parity meter in a nanowire Cooper pair transistor

We study a Cooper pair transistor realized by two Josephson weak links that enclose a superconducting island in an InSb-Al hybrid nanowire. When the nanowire is subject to a magnetic field, isolated subgap levels arise in the superconducting island and, because of the Coulomb blockade, mediate a supercurrent by coherent cotunneling of Cooper pairs. We show that the supercurrent resulting from such cotunneling events exhibits, for low to moderate magnetic fields, a phase offset that discriminates even and odd charge ground states on the superconducting island. Notably, this phase offset persists when a subgap state approaches zero energy and, based on theoretical considerations, permits parity measurements of subgap states by supercurrent interferometry. Such supercurrent parity measurements could, in a series of experiments, provide an alternative approach for manipulating and protecting quantum information stored in the isolated subgap levels of superconducting islands.

The charge-density-wave signature on the superfluid density of cuprate superconductors

The superfluid density or superconducting (SC) carrier concentrationn_scof cuprates has been the subject of intense investigations but there is not any single theory capable to explain all the available data. Here we show that the behavior ofn_scin under and overdoped cuprates are a consequence of an SC interaction based on charge fluctuations in the incommensurate charge-density-waves (CDW) domains. We have shown that this interaction scales with the CDW amplitude or the pseudogap (PG) energy, yielding local SC amplitudes and Josephson currents. The average Josephson energyEJis proportional to the phase stiffness or superfluid densityρ_sc∝n_sc. We find thatn_sc(p) increases almost linearly with dopingpin the underdoped region and in the charge abundant overdoped only a few fractions of the holes condense leading to two kinds of carriers, a recently confirmed feature. The calculations and theρ_scdata uncover how the PG-CDW-SC intertwined orders operate to yield cuprates properties.

Quantum Dot Parity Effects in Trivial and Topological Josephson Junctions

An odd-occupied quantum dot in a Josephson junction can flip transmission phase, creating a π junction. When the junction couples topological superconductors, no phase flip is expected. We investigate this and related effects in a full-shell hybrid interferometer, using gate voltage to control dot-junction parity and axial magnetic flux to control the transition from trivial to topological superconductivity. Enhanced zero-bias conductance and critical current for odd parity in the topological phase reflects hybridization of the confined spin with zero-energy modes in the leads.

Calculations of quantum oscillations in cuprate superconductors considering the pseudogap

The observations of quantum oscillations frequencies in overdoped cuprates were in agreement with a charge density contained in a cylindrical Fermi surface but the measured frequencies of underdoped compounds were much smaller than expected. This was attributed to a topological transition into small pockets of Fermi surface associated with the existence of charge density waves. On the other hand, spectroscopic measurements suggested that the large two-dimensional Fermi surface changes continuously into a set of four disconnected arcs. Here we take into account the effect of the pseudogap that limits the availablek-space area where the Landau levels are developed on the Luttinger theorem and obtain the correct total carrier densities. The calculations show how the disconnected arcs evolve into a closed Fermi surface reconciling the experiments.

The Anderson-Josephson quantum dot-a theory perspective

Recent progress in nanoscale manufacturing has allowed to experimentally investigate quantum dots coupled to two superconducting leads in controlled and tunable setups. The equilibrium Josephson current was measured in on-chip superconducting quantum interference devices, and subgap states were investigated using weakly coupled metallic leads for spectroscopy. This has reinstated two 'classic' problems on the agenda of theoretical condensed matter physics: (1) the Josephson effect and (2) quantum spins in superconductors. The relevance of the former is obvious as the barrier, which separates the two superconductors in a standard Josephson junction, is merely replaced by the quantum dot with well separated energy levels. For odd filling of the dot it acts as a quantum mechanical spin-1/2 and thereby the relevance of the latter becomes apparent also. For normal conducting leads and at odd dot filling the Kondo effect strongly modifies the transport properties as can, e.g. be studied within the Anderson model. One can expect the same for superconducting leads, and in certain parameter regimes remnants of Kondo physics, i.e. strong electronic correlations, will affect the Josephson current. In this topical review, we discuss the status of the theoretical understanding of the Anderson-Josephson quantum dot in equilibrium, mainly focusing on the Josephson current. We introduce a minimal model consisting of a dot which can only host a single spin-up and a single spin-down electron repelling each other by a local Coulomb interaction. The dot is tunnel-coupled to two superconducting leads as described by the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer Hamiltonian. This model was investigated using a variety of methods, some capturing aspects of Kondo physics, while others failing in this respect. We briefly review this. The model shows a first order level-crossing quantum phase transition when varying any parameter, provided that the others are within appropriate ranges. At vanishing temperature it leads to a jump of the Josephson current. To study the qualitative behavior of the phase diagram, or the Josephson current, several of the methods can be used. However, for a quantitative description, elaborate quantum many-body methods must be employed. We show that a quantitative agreement between accurate results obtained for the simple model and measurements of the current can be reached. This confirms that the experiments reveal the finite temperature signatures of the zero temperature transition. In addition, we consider two examples of more complex dot geometries, which might be experimentally realized in the near future. The first is characterized by the interplay of the above level-crossing physics and the Fano effect, and the second by the interplay of superconductivity and almost degenerate singlet and triplet two-body states.

Second-Order Topological Superconductivity in π-Junction Rashba Layers

We consider a Josephson junction bilayer consisting of two tunnel-coupled two-dimensional electron gas layers with Rashba spin-orbit interaction, proximitized by a top and bottom s-wave superconductor with phase difference ϕ close to π. We show that, in the presence of a finite weak in-plane Zeeman field, the bilayer can be driven into a second order topological superconducting phase, hosting two Majorana corner states (MCSs). If ϕ=π, in a rectangular geometry, these zero-energy bound states are located at two opposite corners determined by the direction of the Zeeman field. If the phase difference ϕ deviates from π by a critical value, one of the two MCSs gets relocated to an adjacent corner. As the phase difference ϕ increases further, the system becomes trivially gapped. The obtained MCSs are robust against static and magnetic disorder. We propose two setups that could realize such a model: one is based on controlling ϕ by magnetic flux, the other involves an additional layer of randomly oriented magnetic impurities responsible for the phase shift of π in the proximity-induced superconducting pairing.

Fractional Spin and Josephson Effect in Time-Reversal-Invariant Topological Superconductors

Time-reversal-invariant topological superconducting (TRITOPS) wires are known to host a fractional spin ℏ/4 at their ends. We investigate how this fractional spin affects the Josephson current in a TRITOPS-quantum dot-TRITOPS Josephson junction, describing the wire in a model that can be tuned between a topological and a nontopological phase. We compute the equilibrium Josephson current of the full model by continuous-time Monte Carlo simulations and interpret the results within an effective low-energy theory. We show that in the topological phase, the 0-to-π transition is quenched via formation of a spin singlet from the quantum-dot spin and the fractional spins associated with the two adjacent topological superconductors.

Rashba Splitting of Cooper Pairs

We investigate theoretically the properties of a weak link between two superconducting leads, which has the form of a nonsuperconducting nanowire with a strong Rashba spin-orbit coupling caused by an electric field. In the Coulomb-blockade regime of single-electron tunneling, we find that such a weak link acts as a "spin splitter" of the spin states of Cooper pairs tunneling through the link, to an extent that depends on the direction of the electric field. We show that the Josephson current is sensitive to interference between the resulting two transmission channels, one where the spins of both members of a Cooper pair are preserved and one where they are both flipped. As a result, the current is a periodic function of the strength of the spin-orbit interaction and of the bending angle of the nanowire (when mechanically bent); an identical effect appears due to strain-induced spin-orbit coupling. In contrast, no spin-orbit induced interference effect can influence the current through a single weak link connecting two normal metals.

Magnetotransport Properties in High-Quality Ultrathin Two-Dimensional Superconducting Mo2C Crystals

Ultrathin transition metal carbides are a class of developing two-dimensional (2D) materials with superconductivity and show great potentials for electrical energy storage and other applications. Here, we report low-temperature magnetotransport measurements on high-quality ultrathin 2D superconducting α-Mo2C crystals synthesized by a chemical vapor deposition method. The magnetoresistance curves exhibit reproducible oscillations at low magnetic fields for temperature far below the superconducting transition temperature of the crystals. We interpret the oscillatory magnetoresistance as a consequence of screening currents circling around the boundary of triangle-shaped terraces found on the surface of ultrathin Mo2C crystals. As the sample thickness decreases, the Mo2C crystals exhibit negative magnetoresistance deep in the superconducting transition regime, which reveals strong phase fluctuations of the superconducting order parameters associated with the superconductor-insulator transition. Our results demonstrate that the ultrathin superconducting Mo2C crystals provide an interesting system for studying rich transport phenomena in a 2D crystalline superconductor with enhanced quantum fluctuations.

Proximity-Induced π Josephson Junctions in Topological Insulators and Kramers Pairs of Majorana Fermions

We study two microscopic models of topological insulators in contact with an s-wave superconductor. In the first model the superconductor and the topological insulator are tunnel coupled via a layer of randomly distributed scalar and of randomly oriented spin impurities. Here, we demonstrate that spin-flip tunneling dominates over the spin-conserving one. In the second model the tunnel coupling is realized by a spatially nonuniform array of single-level quantum dots with randomly oriented spins. We find that the tunnel region forms a π junction where the effective order parameter changes sign. Because of the random spin orientation, effectively both models exhibit time-reversal symmetry. The proposed π junctions support topological superconductivity without magnetic fields and can be used to generate and manipulate Kramers pairs of Majorana fermions by gates.

Suspended nanowires as mechanically controlled Rashba spin splitters

Suspended nanowires are shown to provide mechanically controlled coherent mixing or splitting of the spin states of transmitted electrons, caused by the Rashba spin-orbit interaction. The sensitivity of the latter to mechanical bending makes the wire a tunable nanoelectromechanical weak link between reservoirs. When the reservoirs are populated with misbalanced "spin-up and spin-down" electrons, the wire becomes a source of split spin currents, which are not associated with electric charge transfer and which do not depend on temperature or driving voltages. The mechanical vibrations of the bended wires allow for additional tunability of these splitters by applying a magnetic field and varying the temperature. Clean metallic carbon nanotubes of a few microns length are good candidates for generating spin conductance of the same order as the charge conductance (divided by e(2)) which would have been induced by electric driving voltages.

Tunneling spectroscopy of quasiparticle bound states in a spinful Josephson junction

The spectrum of a segment of InAs nanowire, confined between two superconducting leads, was measured as function of gate voltage and superconducting phase difference using a third normal-metal tunnel probe. Subgap resonances for odd electron occupancy-interpreted as bound states involving a confined electron and a quasiparticle from the superconducting leads, reminiscent of Yu-Shiba-Rusinov states-evolve into Kondo-related resonances at higher magnetic fields. An additional zero-bias peak of unknown origin is observed to coexist with the quasiparticle bound states.

Transport measurement of Andreev bound states in a Kondo-correlated quantum dot

We report nonequilibrium transport measurements of gate-tunable Andreev bound states in a carbon nanotube quantum dot coupled to two superconducting leads. In particular, we observe clear features of two types of Kondo ridges, which can be understood in terms of the interplay between the Kondo effect and superconductivity. In the first type (type I), the coupling is strong and the Kondo effect is dominant. Levels of the Andreev bound states display anticrossing in the middle of the ridge. On the other hand, crossing of the two Andreev bound states is shown in the second type (type II) together with the 0-π transition of the Josephson junction. Our scenario is well understood in terms of only a single dimensionless parameter, k(B)T(K)(min)/Δ, where T(K)(min) and Δ are the minimum Kondo temperature of a ridge and the superconducting order parameter, respectively. Our observation is consistent with measurements of the critical current, and is supported by numerical renormalization group calculations.

Josephson current through interacting double quantum dots with spin-orbit coupling

We study the effect of Rashba spin-orbit interaction on the Josephson current through a double quantum dot in the presence of Coulomb repulsion. In particular, we describe the characteristic effects on the magnetic field-induced singlet-triplet transition in the molecular regime. Exploring the whole parameter space, we analyze the effects of the device asymmetry, the orientation of the applied magnetic field with respect to the spin-orbit interaction, and finite temperatures. We find that at finite temperatures the orthogonal component of the spin-orbit interaction exhibits a similar effect to the Coulomb interaction inducing the occurrence of a π-phase at particle-hole symmetry. This provides a new route to the experimental observability of the π-phase in multi-level quantum dots.

Josephson current in carbon nanotubes with spin-orbit interaction

We demonstrate that curvature-induced spin-orbit coupling induces a 0-π transition in the Josephson current through a carbon nanotube quantum dot coupled to superconducting leads. In the noninteracting regime, the transition can be tuned by applying a parallel magnetic field near the critical field where orbital states become degenerate. Moreover, the interplay between charging and spin-orbit effects in the Coulomb blockade and cotunneling regimes leads to a rich phase diagram with well-defined (analytical) boundaries in parameter space. Finally, the 0 phase always prevails in the Kondo regime. Our calculations are relevant in view of recent experimental advances in transport through ultraclean carbon nanotubes.

Condensate-free superfluid induced by the frustrated proximity effect

Since the discovery of superfluidity in 4He and Landau's phenomenological theory, the relationship between Bose condensation and superfluidity has been intensely debated. 4He is known by now to be both superfluid and condensed at low temperature, and more generally, in dimension D≥2, all superfluid bosonic models realized in experiments are condensed in their ground state, the most recent example being provided by ultracold bosonic atoms trapped in an optical lattice. In this Letter, it is shown that a 2D gas of bosons which is not condensed at T=0 can be achieved by populating a layer through a frustrated proximity effect from a superfluid reservoir. This condensate-free bosonic fluid is further shown to be a superfluid with incommensurate correlations.

Hybrid superconductor-quantum dot devices

Advances in nanofabrication techniques have made it possible to make devices in which superconducting electrodes are connected to non-superconducting nanostructures such as quantum dots. The properties of these hybrid devices result from a combination of a macroscopic quantum phenomenon involving large numbers of electrons (superconductivity) and the ability to control single electrons, offered by quantum dots. Here we review research into electron transport and other fundamental processes that have been studied in these devices. We also describe potential applications, such as a transistor in which the direction of a supercurrent can be reversed by adding just one electron to a quantum dot.

Josephson current in strongly correlated double quantum dots

We study the Josephson current through a serial double quantum dot and the associated 0-π transitions which result from the subtle interplay between the superconductivity, the Kondo physics, and the interdot superexchange interaction. The competition between them is examined by tuning the relative strength Δ/T(K) of the superconducting gap and the Kondo temperature, for different strengths of the superexchange coupling determined by the interdot tunneling t relative to the level broadening Γ. We find strong renormalization of t, a significant role of the superexchange coupling J, and a rich phase diagram of the 0 and π-junction regimes. In particular, when both the superconductivity and the exchange interaction compete with the Kondo physics (Δ∼J∼T(K)), there appears an island of π' phase at large values of the superconducting phase difference.

Anomalous Josephson current through a spin-orbit coupled quantum dot

For a general model of a mesoscopic multilevel quantum dot, we determine the necessary conditions for the existence of an anomalous Josephson current with spontaneously broken time-reversal symmetry. They correspond to a finite spin-orbit coupling, a suitably oriented Zeeman field, and the dot being a chiral conductor. We provide analytical expressions for the anomalous supercurrent covering a wide parameter regime.

Josephson effect through an isotropic magnetic molecule

We study the Josephson effect through a quantum dot magnet whose spin is isotropic and which is coupled to the dot electron spin via exchange coupling. We calculate the Andreev levels and the supercurrent and examine the intertwined effect of the exchange coupling, Kondo correlation, and superconductivity. The former suppresses Kondo correlations, which triggers phase transitions from the 0 to the pi state, but strong antiferromagnetic coupling restores the 0 state. The asymmetric phase diagram in the exchange coupling suggests that the coupling sign could be determined in experiments.

Dynamical layer decoupling in a stripe-ordered high-T(c) superconductor

In the stripe-ordered state of a strongly correlated two-dimensional electronic system, under a set of special circumstances, the superconducting condensate, like the magnetic order, can occur at a nonzero wave vector corresponding to a spatial period double that of the charge order. In this case, the Josephson coupling between near neighbor planes, especially in a crystal with the special structure of La(2-x)Ba(x)CuO(4), vanishes identically. We propose that this is the underlying cause of the dynamical decoupling of the layers recently observed in transport measurements at x = 1/8.

Critical current 0-pi transition in designed Josephson Quantum Dot junctions

We report on quantum dot based Josephson junctions designed specifically for measuring the supercurrent. From high-accuracy fitting of the current-voltage characteristics, we determine the full magnitude of the supercurrent (critical current). Strong gate modulation of the critical current is observed through several consecutive Coulomb blockade oscillations. The critical current crosses zero close to, but not at, resonance due to the so-called 0-pi transition in agreement with a simple theoretical model.

Supercurrent reversal in quantum dots

When two superconductors are electrically connected by a weak link--such as a tunnel barrier--a zero-resistance supercurrent can flow. This supercurrent is carried by Cooper pairs of electrons with a combined charge of twice the elementary charge, e. The 2e charge quantum is clearly visible in the height of voltage steps in Josephson junctions under microwave irradiation, and in the magnetic flux periodicity of h/2e (where h is Planck's constant) in superconducting quantum interference devices. Here we study supercurrents through a quantum dot created in a semiconductor nanowire by local electrostatic gating. Owing to strong Coulomb interaction, electrons only tunnel one-by-one through the discrete energy levels of the quantum dot. This nevertheless can yield a supercurrent when subsequent tunnel events are coherent. These quantum coherent tunnelling processes can result in either a positive or a negative supercurrent, that is, in a normal or a pi-junction, respectively. We demonstrate that the supercurrent reverses sign by adding a single electron spin to the quantum dot. When excited states of the quantum dot are involved in transport, the supercurrent sign also depends on the character of the orbital wavefunctions.

0-pi transitions in Josephson junctions with antiferromagnetic interlayers

We show that the dc Josephson current through superconductor-antiferromagnet-superconductor (S-AF-S) junctions manifests a remarkable atomic-scale dependence on the interlayer thickness. At low temperatures the junction is either a 0 or pi junction depending on whether the AF interlayer consists of an even or odd number of atomic layers. This is associated with different symmetries of the AF interlayers in the two cases. In the junction with odd AF interlayers an additional pi- 0 transition can take place as a function of temperature. This originates from the interplay of spin-split Andreev bound states. Experimental implications of these theoretical findings are discussed.

Mesoscopic resonating valence bond system on a triple dot

We theoretically introduce a mesoscopic pendulum from a triple dot. The pendulum is fastened through a singly occupied dot (spin qubit). Two other strongly capacitively coupled islands form a double-dot charge qubit with one electron in excess oscillating between the two low-energy charge states (1,0) and (0,1). The triple dot is placed between two superconducting leads. Under realistic conditions, the main proximity effect stems from the injection of resonating singlet (valence) bonds on the triple dot. This gives rise to a Josephson current that is charge- and spin-dependent and, as a consequence, exhibits a distinct resonance as a function of the superconducting phase difference.

Effect of antiferromagnetic planes on the superconducting properties of multilayered high-Tc cuprates

We propose a mechanism for high critical temperature (T(c)) in the coexistent phase of superconducting (SC) and antiferromagnetic (AFM) CuO2 planes in multilayered cuprates. The Josephson coupling between the SC planes separated by an AFM insulator (Mott insulator) is calculated perturbatively up to the fourth order in terms of the hopping integral between adjacent CuO2 planes. It is shown that the AFM exchange splitting in the AFM plane suppresses the so-called pi-Josephson coupling, and the long-ranged 0-Josephson coupling leads to coexistence with a rather high value of T(c).

Josephson current through a nanoscale magnetic quantum dot

We present theoretical results for the equilibrium Josephson current through an Anderson dot tuned into the magnetic regime, using Hirsch-Fye Monte Carlo simulations covering the complete crossover from Kondo-dominated physics to pi junction behavior in a numerically exact way. Within the "magnetic" regime, U/Gamma >> 1 and epsilon0/Gamma < or = 1, the Josephson current is found to depend only on Delta/TK, where Delta is the BCS gap and TK the Kondo temperature. The junction behavior can be classified into four different quantum phases. We describe these behaviors, specify the associated three transition points, and identify a local minimum in the critical current of the junction as a function of Delta/TK.

Nonequilibrium dynamics of Andreev states in the Kondo regime

The transport properties of a quantum dot coupled to superconducting leads are analyzed. It is shown that the quasiparticle current in the Kondo regime is determined by the nonequilibrium dynamics of subgap states (Andreev states) under an applied voltage. The current at low bias is suppressed exponentially for decreasing Kondo temperature in agreement with recent experiments. We also predict novel interference effects due to multiple Landau-Zener transitions between Andreev states.

The Elusive Bose Metal

The conventional theory of metals is in crisis. In the past 15 years, there has been an unexpected sprouting of metallic states in low-dimensional systems, directly contradicting conventional wisdom. For example, bosons are thought to exist in one of two ground states: condensed in a superconductor or localized in an insulator. However, several experiments on thin metal-alloy films have observed that a metallic phase disrupts the direct transition between the superconductor and the insulator. We analyze the experiments on the insulator-superconductor transition and argue that the intervening metallic phase is bosonic. All relevant theoretical proposals for the Bose metal are discussed, particularly the recent idea that the metallic phase is glassy. The implications for the putative vortex-glass state in the copper oxide superconductors are examined.

Phase glass is a Bose metal: a new conducting state in two dimensions

In the quantum rotor model with random exchange interactions having a nonzero mean, three phases, a (i) phase (Bose) glass, (ii) superfluid, and (iii) Mott insulator, meet at a bicritical point. We demonstrate that proximity to the bicritical point and the coupling between the energy landscape and the dissipative degrees of freedom of the phase glass lead to a metallic state at T = 0. Consequently, the phase glass is unique in that it represents a concrete example of a metallic state that is mediated by disorder, even in 2D. We propose that the experimentally observed metallic phase which intervenes between the insulator and the superconductor in a wide range of thin films is in actuality a phase glass.

Stripe states with spatially oscillating d-wave superconductivity in the two-dimensional t-t'-J model

We study the interplay between stripes and d-wave superconductivity in the two-dimensional t-t'-J model using a variational Monte Carlo method. The next-nearest-neighbor hopping t'<0 stabilizes the stripe states around 1/8 hole doping rate. We find that stripes and spatially oscillating superconductivity coexist depending on parameters. The superconducting orders are enhanced at the hole stripe regions. Although the energy differences are relatively small, the stripe state in which the phases between adjacent superconducting stripes are the opposite (antiphase) is also stabilized. We consider the possibility that the antiphase coexistence may explain the weakness of the c-axis Josephson couplings in the La1.6-xNd0.4SrxCuO4.