Spectral Bifurcation and Anomalous Supercurrent in Dissipative Topological Insulator-based Josephson Junctions

Abstract

The interplay between topological protection and dissipation constitutes a critical frontier in the realization of hybrid quantum devices. Here, we investigate the transport signatures in a dissipative topological insulator-based Josephson junction, a platform that directly probes the competition between quantum coherence and loss. We model dissipation by coupling a `lossy' metallic lead to the junction, described effectively by a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian derived using the Lindblad formalism. We observe that the junction exhibits an asymmetric complex Andreev spectrum, where the imaginary energy component imposes a finite lifetime on the quasi-bound states. Furthermore, beyond specific phase intervals, the real component of the spectrum bifurcates: one branch merges with the continuum, while the other penetrates just below the superconducting gap. Crucially, the characteristic zero-energy crossing shifts away from $\phi=\pi$ and acquires a non-zero imaginary component; consequently, the associated Majorana bound states acquire a finite lifetime, signaling a loss of robustness against dissipation. Finally, this spectral asymmetry drives an anomalous supercurrent, manifested as a non-vanishing current at zero phase difference. Our results reveal how dissipation fundamentally reshapes superconducting transport in topological junctions, opening new directions for dissipation-engineered quantum devices.