arXiv subjects

Runan Shang

Publications and source records attributed to Runan Shang.

29 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2022

Proximity effect in PbTe-Pb hybrid nanowire Josephson junctions

Semiconductor-superconductor hybrid nanowires are a leading material platform for the realization of Majorana zero modes. The semiconductors in previous studies are dominantly InAs or InSb. In this work, we show the induced superconductivity in a PbTe nanowire epitaxially coupled to a superconductor Pb. The Josephson junction device based on this hybrid reveals a gate-tunable supercurrent in the open regime and a hard superconducting gap in the tunneling regime. By demonstrating the superconducting proximity effect, our result can enable Majorana searches and other applications like gate-tunable qubits in a new semiconductor system.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2022

Plateau regions for zero-bias peaks within 5% of the quantized conductance value $2e^2/h$

Probing an isolated Majorana zero mode is predicted to reveal a tunneling conductance quantized at $2e^2/h$ at zero temperature. Experimentally, a zero-bias peak (ZBP) is expected and its height should remain robust against relevant parameter tuning, forming a quantized plateau. Here, we report the observation of large ZBPs in a thin InAs-Al hybrid nanowire device. The ZBP height can stick close to $2e^2/h$, mostly within $5\%$ tolerance, by sweeping gate voltages and magnetic field. We further map out the phase diagram and identify two plateau regions in the phase space. Despite the presence of disorder and quantum dots, our result constitutes a step forward towards establishing Majorana zero modes.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2022

Large Andreev bound state zero bias peaks in a weakly dissipative environment

We study Andreev bound states in hybrid InAs-Al nanowire devices. The energy of these states can be tuned to zero by gate voltage or magnetic field, revealing large zero bias peaks (ZBPs) near 2e^2/h in tunneling conductance. Probing these large ZBPs using a weakly dissipative lead reveals non-Fermi liquid temperature (T) dependence due to environmental Coulomb blockade (ECB), an interaction effect from the lead acting on the nanowire junction. By increasing T, these large ZBPs either show a height increase or a transition from split peaks to a ZBP, both deviate significantly from non-dissipative devices where a Fermi-liquid T dependence is revealed. Our result demonstrates the competing effect between ECB and thermal broadening on Andreev bound states.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2021

Observation of Aharonov-Bohm effect in PbTe nanowire networks

We report phase coherent electron transport in PbTe nanowire networks with a loop geometry. Magneto-conductance shows Aharonov-Bohm (AB) oscillations with periods of $h/e$ and $h/2e$ in flux. The amplitude of $h/2e$ oscillations is enhanced near zero magnetic field, possibly due to interference between time-reversal paths. Temperature dependence of the AB amplitudes suggests a phase coherence length $\sim$ 8 - 12 $μ$m at 50 mK. This length scale is larger than the typical geometry of PbTe-based hybrid semiconductor-superconductor nanowire devices.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2021

Suppressing Andreev bound state zero bias peaks using a strongly dissipative lead

Hybrid semiconductor-superconductor nanowires are predicted to host Majorana zero modes, manifested as zero-bias peaks (ZBPs) in tunneling conductance. ZBPs alone, however, are not sufficient evidence due to the ubiquitous presence of Andreev bound states in the same system. Here, we implement a strongly resistive normal lead in our InAs-Al nanowire devices and show that most of the expected ZBPs, corresponding to zero-energy Andreev bound states, can be suppressed, a phenomenon known as environmental Coulomb blockade. Our result is the first experimental demonstration of this dissipative interaction effect on Andreev bound states and can serve as a possible filter to narrow down ZBP phase diagram in future Majorana searches.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2021

Selective area epitaxy of PbTe-Pb hybrid nanowires on a lattice-matched substrate

Topological quantum computing is based on braiding of Majorana zero modes encoding topological qubits. A promising candidate platform for Majorana zero modes is semiconductor-superconductor hybrid nanowires. The realization of topological qubits and braiding operations requires scalable and disorder-free nanowire networks. Selective area growth of in-plane InAs and InSb nanowires, together with shadow-wall growth of superconductor structures, have demonstrated this scalability by achieving various network structures. However, the noticeable lattice mismatch at the nanowire-substrate interface, acting as a disorder source, imposes a serious obstacle along with this roadmap. Here, combining selective area and shadow-wall growth, we demonstrate the fabrication of PbTe-Pb hybrid nanowires - another potentially promising Majorana system - on a nearly perfectly lattice-matched substrate CdTe, all done in one molecular beam epitaxy chamber. Transmission electron microscopy shows the single-crystal nature of the PbTe nanowire and its atomically sharp and clean interfaces to the CdTe substrate and the Pb overlayer, without noticeable inter-diffusion or strain. The nearly ideal interface condition, together with the strong screening of charge impurities due to the large dielectric constant of PbTe, hold promise towards a clean nanowire system to study Majorana zero modes and topological quantum computing.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2021

Coexistence of resistance oscillations and the anomalous metal phase in a lithium intercalated TiSe$_2$ superconductor

Superconductivity and charge density wave (CDW) appear in the phase diagram of a variety of materials including the high - $T$$_c$ cuprate family and many transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). Their interplay may give rise to exotic quantum phenomena. Here, we show that superconducting arrays can spontaneously form in TiSe$_2$ - a TMD with coexisting superconductivity and CDW - after lithium ion intercalation. We induce a superconducting dome in the phase diagram of Li$_x$TiSe$_2$ by using the ionic solid-state gating technique. Around optimal doping, we observe magnetoresistance oscillations, indicating the emergence of periodically arranged domains. In the same temperature, magnetic field and carrier density regime where the resistance oscillations occur, we observe signatures for the anomalous metal - a state with a resistance plateau across a wide temperature range below the superconducting transition. Our study not only sheds further insight into the mechanism for the periodic electronic structure, but also reveals the interplay between the anomalous metal and superconducting fluctuations.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2021

Large zero bias peaks and dips in a four-terminal thin InAs-Al nanowire device

We report electron transport studies of a thin InAs-Al hybrid semiconductor-superconductor nanowire device using a four-terminal design. Compared to previous works, thinner InAs nanowire (diameter less than 40 nm) is expected to reach fewer sub-band regime. The four-terminal device design excludes electrode contact resistance, an unknown value which has inevitably affected previously reported device conductance. Using tunneling spectroscopy, we find large zero-bias peaks (ZBPs) in differential conductance on the order of $2e^2/h$. Investigating the ZBP evolution by sweeping various gate voltages and magnetic field, we find a transition between a zero-bias peak and a zero-bias dip while the zero-bias conductance sticks close to $2e^2/h$. We discuss a topologically trivial interpretation involving disorder, smooth potential variation and quasi-Majorana zero modes.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2020

In Situ Epitaxy of Pure Phase Ultra-Thin InAs-Al Nanowires for Quantum Devices

Hybrid semiconductor-superconductor InAs-Al nanowires with uniform and defect-free crystal interfaces are one of the most promising candidates used in the quest for Majorana zero modes (MZMs). However, InAs nanowires often exhibit a high density of randomly distributed twin defects and stacking faults, which result in an uncontrolled and non-uniform InAs-Al interface. Furthermore, this type of disorder can create potential inhomogeneity in the wire, destroy the topological gap, and form trivial sub-gap states mimicking MZM in transport experiments. Further study shows that reducing the InAs nanowire diameter from growth can significantly suppress the formation of these defects and stacking faults. Here, we demonstrate the in situ growth of ultra-thin InAs nanowires with epitaxial Al film by molecular-beam epitaxy. Our InAs diameter (~ 30 nm) is only one-third of the diameters (~ 100 nm) commonly used in literatures. The ultra-thin InAs nanowires are pure phase crystals for various different growth directions, suggesting a low level of disorder. Transmission electron microscopy confirms an atomically sharp and uniform interface between the Al shell and the InAs wire. Quantum transport study on these devices resolves a hard induced superconducting gap and $2e^-$ periodic Coulomb blockade at zero magnetic field, a necessary step for future MZM experiments. A large zero bias conductance peak with a peak height reaching 80% of $2e^2/h$ is observed.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2013

Observation of Kondo Effect in a Quadruple Quantum Dots

We investigate the Kondo effect in a quadruple quantum dot device of coupled-double quantum dots (DQDs), which simultaneously contains intra-DQDs and inter-DQDs coupling. A variety of novel behaviors are observed. The differential conductance dI/dV is measured in the upper DQDs as a function of source drain bias. It is found to exhibit multiple peaks, including a zero-bias peak, where the number of peaks exceeds five. Alternatively, tuning the lower DQDs yielded regions of four peaks. In addition, a Kondo-effect switcher is demonstrated, using the lower DQDs as the controller.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2013

Photon-assisted-tunneling in a coupled double quantum dot out of thermal equilibrium

We perform photon-assisted-tunneling (PAT) experiments on a GaAs double quantum dot device under high microwave excitation power. Photon-assisted absorption of up to 14 photons is observed, when electron temperature (>1K) are far above the lattice temperature. Signatures of Landau-Zener-Stückelberg (LZS) interference are found even in this non-equilibrium PAT spectrum. In addition, the charge state relaxation time T_1~8ns measured in this out of thermal equilibrium double quantum dot is in agreement with other previous reports.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗