Evolution of 4π-Periodic Supercurrent in the Presence of an In-Plane Magnetic Field

• Published in: ACS nano 2023-03, Vol.17 (5), p.4650-4658
• Main Authors: Elfeky, Bassel Heiba, Cuozzo, Joseph J., Lotfizadeh, Neda, Schiela, William F., Farzaneh, Seyed M., Strickland, William M., Langone, Dylan, Rossi, Enrico, Shabani, Javad
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1936-0851; 1936-086X
• DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c10880

In the presence of a 4π-periodic contribution to the current phase relation, for example in topological Josephson junctions, odd Shapiro steps are expected to be missing. While missing odd Shapiro steps have been observed in several material systems and interpreted in the context of topological superconductivity, they have also been observed in topologically trivial junctions. Here, we study the evolution of such trivial missing odd Shapiro steps in Al–InAs junctions in the presence of an in-plane magnetic field B θ. We find that the odd steps reappear at a crossover B θ value, exhibiting an in-plane field angle anisotropy that depends on spin–orbit coupling effects. We interpret this behavior by theoretically analyzing the Andreev bound state spectrum and the transitions induced by the nonadiabatic dynamics of the junction and attribute the observed anisotropy to mode-to-mode coupling. Our results highlight the complex phenomenology of missing Shapiro steps and the underlying current phase relations in planar Josephson junctions designed to realize Majorana states.