Anomalous Andreev interferometer: Study of an anomalous Josephson junction coupled to a normal wire

Josephson junctions (JJs), where both time-reversal and inversion symmetry are broken, exhibit a phase shift phi 0 in their current-phase relation. This allows for an anomalous supercurrent to flow in the junction even in the absence of a phase bias between the superconductors. We show that a finite phase shift also manifests in the so-called Andreev interferometers-a device that consists of a mesoscopic conductor coupled to the phi 0 junction. Due to the proximity effect, the resistance of this conductor is phase sensitive-it oscillates by varying the phase of the JJ. As a result, the quasiparticle current Iqp flowing through the conductor has an anomalous component, which exists only at finite phi 0. Thus, the Andreev interferometry could be used to probe the phi 0 effect. We consider two realizations of the phi 0 junction and calculate Iqp in the interferometer: a superconducting structure with spin-orbit coupling and a system of spin-split superconductors with spin-polarized tunneling barriers.

Automated summary

Josephson junctions exhibit a phase shift in their current-phase relation, leading to anomalous supercurrent flow. The Andreev interferometers, consisting of a mesoscopic conductor coupled to the junction, also show a finite phase shift effect. By considering different realizations of the junction, such as structures with spin-orbit coupling or spin-split superconductors, the quasiparticle current in the interferometer can be calculated to observe the anomalous component at finite phase shift.