Field-Free Superconducting Diode in a Magnetically Nanostructured Superconductor

A strong superconducting diode effect (SDE) is revealed in a thin superconducting film periodically nanostructured with magnetic dots. The SDE is caused by the current-activated dissipation mitigated by vortex-antivortex pairs (VAPs), which periodically nucleate under the dots, move and annihilate in the superconductor-eventually driving the system to the high-resistive state. Inversing the polarity of the applied current destimulates the nucleation of VAPs, the system remains superconducting up to far larger currents, leading to the pronounced diodic response. Our dissipative Ginzburg-Landau simulations detail the involved processes, and provide reliable geometric and parametric ranges for the experimental realiza-tion of such a nonvolatile superconducting diode, which operates in the absence of any applied magnetic field while being fluxonic by design.

Automated summary

A strong superconducting diode effect is observed in a thin superconducting film with periodic nanostructures of magnetic dots. The effect is caused by dissipation, activated by the current, being mitigated by vortex-antivortex pairs that periodically nucleate under the dots. By reversing the polarity of the applied current, the nucleation of vortex-antivortex pairs is suppressed, allowing the system to remain in a superconducting state even at higher currents, resulting in a pronounced diodic response. Dissipative Ginzburg-Landau simulations provide detailed information on the involved processes and reliable ranges for experimental realization of this nonvolatile superconducting diode, which functions without an applied magnetic field and is designed to exhibit fluxonics.