arXiv subjects

Pablo Burset

Publications and source records attributed to Pablo Burset.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Multiple chiral Majorana states in proximitized magnetic topological insulator heterostructures

Achieving robust topological superconductivity with multiple Majorana channels is a key step for scalable topological quantum computing. To this end, we investigate magnetically doped three-dimensional topological insulator heterostructures proximitized by an s-wave superconductor within a fully three-dimensional extended Bernevig-Hughes-Zhang framework that explicitly accounts for vertical confinement. We show that magnetic exchange coupling, orbital mixing, and bulk band inversion cooperate to generate effective equal-spin p-wave pairing channels supporting multiple chiral Majorana modes. The number of Majorana channels is determined by the confined modes in the vertical direction and the high-Chern-number phases of the normal state, which allows us to derive an analytical criterion for the emergence of the multiple-Majorana topological superconducting phases. The chiral Majorana modes remain robust against strong disorder and moderate symmetry-breaking perturbations. We also demonstrate that a superconducting phase difference defining a vertical Josephson junction acts as a tunable parameter that controls the hybridization, minigap, and effective multiplicity of the low energy Majorana channels. Our results establish magnetic three-dimensional topological- insulator heterostructures as a promising platform for engineering multiple chiral Majorana modes.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2026

Spin-polarized Josephson current induced by inhomogeneous altermagnetic interlayers

The pursuit of dissipationless spin supercurrents is a central theme in superconducting spintronics. We propose a field-free Josephson junction using an inhomogeneous altermagnetic interlayer with in-plane N\'{e}el vectors. We show that the current-phase relation and the critical Josephson current are highly sensitive to the misorientation angle between the altermagnetic layers' N\'{e}el vectors. Specifically, at a $\pi$ misorientation with equal layer thicknesses the spatial oscillations of the superconducting pair amplitude, governed by the center-of-mass momentum, undergo mutual cancellation. This compensation suppresses individual layer pair-breaking, significantly enhancing the critical current and eliminating $0$-$\pi$ transitions. Furthermore, the non-collinear alignment of the N\'{e}el vectors facilitates the emergence of a net spin-polarized Josephson current. This spin current serves as a distinct signature of spin-triplet pair correlations, generated by the spin-dependent momentum shifts inherent to the altermagnetic exchange field. Our results establish a highly tunable, field-free platform for the realization of dissipationless spintronic devices.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Odd-frequency Pairing in Josephson Junctions Coupled by Magnetic Textures

Josephson junctions coupled through magnetic textures provide a controllable platform for odd-frequency superconductivity and Majorana physics. Within a tight-binding Green function framework, induced pair correlations and spectral properties are analyzed under various magnetic and geometric conditions. When the junction is in the topologically trivial regime, even-frequency singlet pairing is dominant, whereas the topological phase is characterized by the coexistence of Majorana bound states and robust odd-frequency equal-spin triplet pairing at the interface edges. The odd-frequency polarized triplets reveal a divergent $1/\omega$ behavior when the Majorana states are decoupled, which is intrinsically connected to their self-conjugation property. The zero-frequency divergence evolves into shifted resonances and linear low-frequency behavior once hybridization occurs. A nonmagnetic interruption in the texture separates the topological superconductor into two topological segments and generates additional inner Majorana modes. When the nonmagnetic barrier is comparable to the inner Majorana states localization length, they hybridize and modify their associated odd-frequency triplet pairing, while the outer edge modes preserve their self-conjugated nature. Tuning the superconducting phase difference further controls the onset of the topological regime and the stability of localized Majorana states. The results highlight the central role of odd-frequency triplet correlations as a probe of topological superconductivity in magnetically engineered Josephson junctions.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Topological superconductivity in a dimerized Kitaev chain revealed by nonlocal transport

Artificial Kitaev chains engineered from semiconducting quantum dots coupled by superconducting segments offer a promising route to realize and control Majorana bound states for topological quantum computation. We study a dimerized Kitaev chain--equivalent to a superconducting Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model--and analyze the behavior of the resulting two coupled chains. We show that interference between Majorana edge modes from each chain gives rise to observable signatures in nonlocal conductance. Additionally, we identify a parity effect in the system length that governs the coupling of edge states, supported by an analytical model. Our results provide experimentally accessible probes for Majorana hybridization in mesoscopic topological superconductors.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

Gate-tunable nonreciprocal thermoelectric effects on the surface states of topological insulators

Thermoelectric devices at the nanoscale offer promising routes for on-chip refrigeration and waste-heat recovery, yet most semiconductor-based implementations suffer from limited tunability and narrow operational ranges. We introduce a highly flexible thermoelectric platform based on a ballistic junction formed by two gate-tunable regions of a topological insulator surface state bridged by a magnetic barrier. We theoretically demonstrate that such device exhibits strong electrical control over both refrigeration and thermoelectric power generation via side gates. We exploit the interplay between strong spin-orbit coupling and magnetism to achieve pronounced nonreciprocal transport, asymmetric cooling and tunable diode-like behavior. To demonstrate experimental feasibility, we further analyze refrigeration efficiency and phonon-limited performance in realistic material settings.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Engineering subgap states in superconductors by the symmetry of altermagnetism

Combining superconducting and magnetic materials is a promising path to generate exotic interface subgap states. In this regard, altermagnetism is particularly interesting because it lifts spin degeneracy while providing tailored anisotropy of spin splittings. Here, we investigate the realization and control of subgap states by using the symmetry contrast between altermagnetic fields and unconventional pairings. When the symmetries of altermagnetism and unconventional superconductivity align, we demonstrate the emergence of bulk zero-energy flat bands as the Bogoliubov Fermi surface, giving rise to a zero-bias conductance peak. The symmetry and strength of $d$-wave altermagnets strongly affect the surface Andreev states from $d$-wave and chiral $d$- and $p$-wave superconductors. As a result, distinct types of subgap states are realized, including curved and flat bands, that can be detected by tunneling spectroscopy. Our results offer a solid route for designing and manipulating subgap states in superconducting systems, which can be useful for functionalizing superconducting devices.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

The Josephson effect in Fibonacci superconductors

We theoretically investigate the Josephson effect between two proximized Fibonacci quasicrystals. A quasiperiodic modulation of the chemical potential on a superconducting substrate induces topological gaps and edge modes with energies above the superconducting gap. We reveal that these edge modes develop superconducting correlations which significantly impact the Josephson current, and we term them Fibonacci-Andreev bound states. Notably, the contribution from these edge modes can be controlled by the Fibonacci sequence arrangement, known as phason angle, and can dominate the Josephson effect over the conventional subgap Andreev bound states in short junctions. The interplay between the Josephson effect and nontrivial edge modes in quasiperiodic systems presents new opportunities for exploring exotic superconducting phenomena in quasicrystals.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Emergent topology by Landau level mixing in quantum Hall-superconductor nanostructures

We demonstrate the emergence of novel topological phases in quantum Hall-superconductor hybrid systems driven by Landau level mixing and spin-orbit interactions. Focusing on a narrow superconducting stripe atop a two-dimensional electron gas, we identify regimes where the hybridization of the chiral Andreev states at each side of the stripe leads to different phases beyond the long sought $p$-wave superconducting one. These topological phases exhibit distinctive transport signatures, including quantized nonlocal conductance arising from electron cotunneling at filling factor $\nu=1$, which can coexist with quantized crossed Andreev reflection at $\nu=2$. A combination of numerical simulations and effective modelling reveals the role of spin-orbit coupling and stripe geometry in controlling these transitions. Our findings suggest new strategies for realizing and detecting topology in proximized quantum Hall devices.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Signatures of edge states in antiferromagnetic van der Waals Josephson junctions

The combination of superconductivity and magnetic textures represents a promising approach to explore unconventional superconducting phenomena, including new correlated and topological phases. Van der Waals (vdW) materials have emerged in this context as a versatile platform to explore the interplay between these two competing orders. Here, we report on individual NbSe2/NiPS3/NbSe2 vdW Josephson junctions behaving as superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs), which we attribute to the interplay between the superconductivity of NbSe2 and the spin texture of the vdW antiferromagnetic insulator NiPS3. The SQUID behavior, which persists for in-plane magnetic fields of at least 6 T, is the result of interference between localized transport channels that form in two separate regions of the sample. Microscopic modeling of the antiferromagnet insulator/superconductor (AFI/S) interface reveals the formation of localized states at the edges of the junction that can lead to localized channels that dominate the transport. Our findings highlight the potential of vdW superconducting heterostructures with AFs as platforms for engineering and probing novel superconducting phenomena, and they establish a new route for lithographic-free SQUIDs that operate in high magnetic fields.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Floquet-Nambu theory of electron quantum optics with superconductors

We present a comprehensive Floquet-Nambu theory to describe the time-dependent quantum transport in mesoscopic circuits involving superconductors. The central object of our framework is the first-order correlation function, which accounts for the excitations that are generated by a time-dependent voltage and their coherent scattering off the interface with a superconductor. We analyze the time-dependent current generated by periodic voltage pulses and how it depends on the excitation energies of the voltage drive compared to the gap of the superconductor. Our general formalism allows us to identify the conditions for the excitations that are scattered off the superconductor to become coherent electron-hole superpositions. To this end, we consider the purity of the outgoing states, which characterizes their ability to carry quantum information. To illustrate our formalism, we apply it to a system composed of chiral quantum Hall edge states connected to a superconductor, and we calculate the current in the outgoing lead and the purity of the outgoing states for Lorentzian and harmonic voltage drives. Our framework paves the way for systematic investigations of time-dependent scattering problems involving superconductivity, and it may help interpret future experiments in electron quantum optics with superconductors.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Orientation-dependent transport in junctions formed by $d$-wave altermagnets and $d$-wave superconductors

We investigate de Gennes-Saint-James states and Josephson effect in hybrid junctions based on $d$-wave altermagnet and $d$-wave superconductor. Even though these states are associated to long junctions, we find that the $d_{x^{2}-y^{2}}$-altermagnet in a normal metal/altermagnet/$d$-wave superconductor junction forms de Gennes-Saint-James states in a short junction due to an enhanced mismatch between electron and hole wave vectors. As a result, the zero-bias conductance peak vanishes and pronounced resonance spikes emerge in the subgap conductance spectra. By contrast, the $d_{xy}$-altermagnet only features de Gennes-Saint-James states in the long junction. Moreover, the well-known features such as V-shape conductance for $d_{x^2-y^2}$ pairings and zero-biased conductance peak for $d_{xy}$ pairings are not affected by the strength of $d_{xy}$-altermagnetism in the short junction. We also study the Josephson current-phase relation $I(\varphi)$ of $d$-wave superconductor/altermagnet/$d$-wave superconductor hybrids, where $\varphi$ is the macroscopic phase difference between two $d$-wave superconductors. In symmetric junctions, we obtain anomalous current phase relation such as a $0$-$\pi$ transition by changing either the orientation or the magnitude of the altermagnetic order parameter and dominant higher Josephson harmonics. Interestingly, we find the first-order Josephson coupling in an asymmetric $d_{x^{2}-y^{2}}$-superconductor/altermagnet/$d_{xy}$-superconductor junction when the symmetry of altermagnetic order parameter is neither $d_{x^{2}-y^{2}}$- nor $d_{xy}$-wave. We present the symmetry analysis and conclude that the anomalous orientation-dependent current-phase relations are ascribed to the peculiar feature of the altermagnetic spin-splitting field.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Influence of carrier density and disorder on the Quantum Hall plateau widths in epitaxial graphene

Since its discovery, graphene has been one of the most prominent 2D materials due to its unique properties and broad range of possible applications. In particular, the half-integer Quantum Hall Effect (HI-QHE) characterized by the quantization of Hall resistivity as a function of applied magnetic field, offers opportunities for advancements in quantum metrology and the understanding of topological quantum states in this 2D material. While the role of disorder in stabilizing quantum Hall plateaus (QHPs) is widely recognized, the precise interplay between the plateaus width, disorder, mobility and carrier density remains less explored. In this work, we investigate the width of the $\nu=6$ QHP in epitaxial graphene Hall bars, focusing on two distinct regions of the device with markedly different electronic mobilities. Depending on the storage conditions, it is possible to modify the carrier density of graphene QHE devices and consequently increase or reduce the mobility. Our experiments reveal mobility variations of up to 200$\%$ from their initial value. In particular, the sample storage time and ambient conditions cause also noticeable changes in the positions and extension of the QHPs. Our results show that the QHP extension for $\nu=6$ differs significantly between the two regions, influenced by both mobility and disorder, rather than solely by carrier density. Transport simulations based on the Landauer-B\"uttiker formalism with Anderson disorder in a scaled model reveal the critical role of impurities in shaping graphene transport properties defining the extension of the QHPs. This study provides valuable insights into the interplay between mobility, disorder, and quantum transport in graphene systems.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

P-wave pairing near a spin-split Josephson junction

Superconductivity and magnetism are competing effects that can coexist in certain regimes. Their co-existence leads to unexpected new behaviors that include the onset of exotic electron pair mechanisms and topological phases. In this work, we study the properties of a Josephson junction between two spin-split superconductors. The spin-splitting in the superconductors can arise from either the coupling to a ferromagnetic material or an external magnetic field. The properties of the junction are dominated by the Andreev bound states that are also split. One of these states can cross the superconductor's Fermi level, leading to a ground state transition characterized by a suppressed supercurrent. We interpret the supercurrent blockade as coming from a dominance of p-wave pairing close to the junction, where electrons at both sides of the junction pair. To support this interpretation, we analyze the different pairing channels and show that p-wave pairing is favored in the case where the magnetization of the two superconductors is parallel and suppressed in the anti-parallel case. We also analyze the noise spectrum that shows signatures of the ground state transition in the form of an elevated zero-frequency noise.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2024

Topological superconductivity in a magnetic-texture coupled Josephson junction

Topological superconductors are appealing building blocks for robust and reliable quantum information processing. Most platforms for engineering topological superconductivity rely on a combination of superconductors, materials with intrinsic strong spin-orbit coupling, and external magnetic fields, detrimental for superconductivity. We propose a setup where a conventional Josephson junction is linked via a magnetic-textured barrier. Antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic insulators with periodically arranged domains are compatible with our proposal which does not require intrinsic spin-orbit or external magnetic fields. We find that the topological phase depends on the magnitude and period of the barrier magnetization. The superconducting phase controls the topological transition, which could be detected as a sharp suppression of the supercurrent across the junction.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2023

Wigner representation of Andreev-reflected charge pulses

Recent experiments have shown that the edge states of a quantum Hall sample can be coupled to a superconductor, so that incoming electrons in the edge states can be Andreev converted by the superconductor as coherent superpositions of an electron and a hole. In parallel, single-electron emitters that operate in the gigahertz regime have been realized on quantum Hall edge states. Motivated by this remarkable experimental progress, we here analyze the Andreev reflections of incoming charge pulses on the interface with a superconductor. To this end, we employ a Wigner function representation that allows us to visualize the response function of the interface both in the time and in the frequency domain. We analyze the response of an interface between a normal-metal and a singlet or triplet superconductor with and without an insulating barrier in between them. As a special case, we analyze the Andreev reflections of clean single-particle excitations that are generated by the application of lorentzian-shaped voltage pulses to the contacts of the inputs. Our predictions may be tested in future experiments with edge states coupled to superconductors.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2023

On-Demand and Tunable Andreev-Conversion of Single-Electron Charge Pulses

Electron quantum optics explores coherent single-electron charge pulse propagation in electronic nanoscale circuits akin to table-top photon setups. While past experiments focused on normal-state conductors, incorporating superconductors holds promise for exploiting the electron-hole degree of freedom in quantum sensing applications and quantum information processing. Here, we propose and analyze an on-demand and tunable mechanism for converting single-electron pulses into holes through Andreev processes on a superconductor. We develop a Floquet-Nambu scattering formalism to demonstrate the dynamic conversion of charge pulses and the controllable generation of coherent electron-hole superpositions through interferometric magnetic flux control based on the chiral edge states of a quantum Hall sample. Our discussion covers optimal conditions in realistic scenarios, affirming the feasibility of our proposal with current technology.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2023

Microscopic Green's function approach for generalized Dirac Hamiltonians

The rising interest in Dirac materials, condensed matter systems where low-energy electronic excitations are described by the relativistic Dirac Hamiltonian, entails a need for microscopic effective models to analytically describe their transport properties. Specifically, for the study of quantum transport, these effective models must take into account the effect of atomic-scale interfaces and the presence of well-defined edges while reproducing the correct band structure. We develop a general method to analytically compute the microscopic Green's function of Dirac materials valid for infinite, semi-infinite, and finite two-dimensional layers with zigzag or armchair edge orientations. We test our method by computing the density of states and scattering probabilities of germanene and some transition metal dichalcogenides, obtaining simple analytical formulas. Our results provide a useful analytical tool for the interpretation of transport experiments on Dirac materials and could be extended to describe additional degrees of freedom like extra layers, superconductivity, etc.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2023

Nonlocality of Majorana bound states revealed by electron waiting times in a topological Andreev interferometer

The analysis of waiting times of electron transfers has recently become experimentally accessible owing to advances in noninvasive probes working in the short-time regime. We study electron waiting times in a topological Andreev interferometer: a superconducting loop with controllable phase difference connected to a quantum spin Hall edge, where the edge state helicity enables the transfer of electrons and holes into separate leads, with transmission controlled by the loop's phase difference $\phi$. This setup features gapless Majorana bound states at $\phi=\pi$. The waiting times for electron transfers across the junction are sensitive to the presence of the gapless states, but are uncorrelated for all $\phi$. By contrast, at $\phi=\pi$ the waiting times of Andreev-scattered holes show a strong correlation and the crossed (hole-electron) distributions feature a unique behavior. Both effects exclusively result from the nonlocal properties of Majorana bound states. Consequently, electron waiting times and their correlations could circumvent some of the challenges for detecting topological superconductivity and Majorana states beyond conductance signatures.

cond-mat.supr-con↗