Title
Hard superconducting gap in InSb nanowires
Author
Gül, O.
Zhang, H.
de Vries, F.K.
van Veen, J.
Zuo, K.
Mourik, V.
Conesa-Boj, S.
Nowak, M.P.
van Woerkom, D.J.
Quintero Pérez, M.
Cassidy, M.C.
Geresdi, A.
Koelling, S.
Car, D.
Plissard, S.R.
Bakkers, E.P.A.M.
Kouwenhoven, L.P.
Publication year
2017
Abstract
Topological superconductivity is a state of matter that can host Majorana modes, the building blocks of a topological quantum computer. Many experimental platforms predicted to show such a topological state rely on proximity-induced superconductivity. However, accessing the topological properties requires an induced hard superconducting gap, which is challenging to achieve for most material systems. We have systematically studied how the interface between an InSb semiconductor nanowire and a NbTiN superconductor affects the induced superconducting properties. Step by step, we improve the homogeneity of the interface while ensuring a barrier-free electrical contact to the superconductor and obtain a hard gap in the InSb nanowire. The magnetic field stability of NbTiN allows the InSb nanowire to maintain a hard gap and a supercurrent in the presence of magnetic fields (∼0.5 T), a requirement for topological superconductivity in one-dimensional systems. Our study provides a guideline to induce superconductivity in various experimental platforms such as semiconductor nanowires, two-dimensional electron gases, and topological insulators and holds relevance for topological superconductivity and quantum computation.
Subject
Nano Technology
NI - Nano Instrumentation
TS - Technical Sciences
High Tech Systems & Materials
Industrial Innovation
Hard gap
Hybrid devices
InSb
Majorana
Semiconductor nanowire
Topological superconductivity
Electron gas
Indium antimonides
Magnetic fields
Nanowires
Narrow band gap semiconductors
One dimensional
Quantum computers
Quantum theory
Superconducting materials
Topology
Two dimensional electron gas
III-V semiconductors
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:61f9fa72-3418-4f0f-841f-80bb4f343fb5
TNO identifier
756689
Publisher
American Chemical Society ACS
ISSN
1530-6984
Source
Nano Letters, 17 (4), 2690-2696
Document type
article